Getting disability certificates at Civil Hospital a Herculean task

Manav Mander

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, March 22

Persons coming to Civil Hospital for getting their disability certificates made are having a tough time. Earlier two days, Wednesday and Thursday, were fixed for getting disability certificates made. On Wednesday, these were made at Civil Hospital and on Thursday, at Civil Surgeon’s office. But now, the certificates are made only at Civil Hospital, i.e. on Wednesday.

No special doctors have been appointed to issue certificates but the doctors of the respective departments are given this additional responsibility. Apart from their normal duty of examining patients, they have to issue disability certificates.

Today was Kuldeep Kaur’s third visit to Civil Hospital to get a certificate made. Tejider Pal Singh, who accompanied Kuldeep Kaur, said that was the third time he had come along with Kuldeep Kaur. “I leave all my work, hire a taxi and come here. But every time I came here, I had to return empty-handed. Last time, we have to return without getting work done as no wheelchair was available at the hospital. Prior to that the doctors had some argument with each other and they left the department before time. Today, we arrived in the hospital at 9 am and got a wheelchair at 12 pm after repeated requests. Only God’s knows if our work will be done today,” he said.

Charanjit Singh, who had come from Sahnewal, said he had been unduly harassed and made to go from one department to another by doctors. “Last time I came here, I was asked to get an X-ray done. I returned and got the X-ray done. Today, when I showed the X-ray report to the doctor, he said they did not accept X-ray reports of private hospitals. I had to again get it done from Civil Hospital. They should have told me earlier as it is just a waste of money as well as time,” he said.

Shingara Singh from Gopalpur near Dehlon said he had been sitting here since 9 am and only God knew if he would be able to get the certificate today.

Dr Avinash Jindal, medicine specialist at Civil Hospital, said they were already handling a rush of patients as the Civil Hospital catered to the entire district. “In addition to our normal work, we have also been given the work of issuing the certificates. We are only two medicine specialists in the hospital and it has become difficult to handle these extra responsibilities. For 15 days, Dr Gurmeet (medicine specialist) had discharged this duty and for next 15 days, I will be doing the job. Earlier, certificates were also made at the Civil Surgeon’s office which had now been stopped and we have to handle all the rush now,” he rued.