With additional staff, Ludhiana civil hospital emergency gears up for poll day

The emergency ward at Ludhiana civil hospital sees 50-70 cases, involving fights and brawls, every day; The number is expected to double on poll day

Civil hospital emergency is all set for the poll day with additional staff. Nodal officer Dr Charan Kamal said had written to his seniors to deploy additional staff, including three staff nurses, four pharmacy students and all district residency programme doctors, at the hospital on June 1.

Nodal officer Dr Charan Kamal said had written to his seniors to deploy additional staff, including three staff nurses, four pharmacy students and all district residency programme doctors, at Ludhiana civil hospital on June 1. (Manish/HT)

“These doctors will help the existing staff,” he said, adding “Besides this, I have posted three emergency medical officers on the intervening night of Saturday and Sunday, and two on Sunday and then three again on Sunday night.”

The emergency ward at the hospital sees 50-70 cases, involving fights and brawls, every day. The number is expected to double on poll day.

“I was posted in an emergency during the 2022 assembly polls. There were at least 50 cases involving fights between party cadres just during the day,” he said.

“All this is on top of the regular load, which already has us stretched thin. So it is important that we stay prepared,” the nodal officer added.

The civil hospital already suffers from a shortage of staff. Earlier on April 14, a man who was admitted on April 9, was found lying dead, unattended, sharing a bed with another patient. The heavy load and shortage of staff were held responsible for the negligence.