Not enough vets in Muktsar, hospitals function half day

Archit Watts

Tribune News Service

Muktsar, June 6

Most of the veterinary dispensaries and hospitals remain closed in the district for half day. Reason: An acute shortage of staff and the veterinary officers and veterinary inspectors have been given additional charge of one or two dispensaries.

Notably, in this hot weather the chances of heat stroke are high among animals. Further, the rainy season is approaching and the vaccination of “gal ghotu” (hemorrhagic septicemia) disease is underway.

A recent visit to some villages in the Gidderbaha Assembly segment revealed that the condition of veterinary dispensaries’ buildings is satisfactory, but there is a shortage of staff and the dispensaries are either open for half-day or open on alternate days.

Sources in the Animal Husbandry Department informed that there are 43 civil veterinary hospitals and 64 dispensaries, but just 25 veterinary officers and 60 veterinary inspectors in the district. Besides, there is a poly clinic, which is the district-level hospital, located at Badal village.

In such circumstances, the dispensaries in the villages are being looked after by veterinary inspectors, whose staff strength is also short.

Sukhmahinder Singh, Deputy Director, Animal Husbandry Department, Muktsar, said, “There is a shortage of staff, but the matter is in the notice of the high-ups. Still we have made all the veterinary hospitals and dispensaries functional in the district by giving additional charges to the staff. Presently, no dispensary is lying closed in the district. Staffers go to all dispensaries daily, but some of them might be opening for half day.”