ESI hospital sans medical supdt

Tribune News Service

Amritsar, April 23

The Employees’ State Insurance (ESI) Hospital on Majitha Road is without a medical superintendent for the past one month. Though the additional charge of the hospital has been given to the local Civil Surgeon, the absence of a permanent head of the institute is affecting routine hospital work.

The post had fallen vacant with the retirement of medical superintendent, Dr Avtar Singh Jarewal, last month. The department had later given the additional charge of the hospital to Civil Surgeon, Dr Tejwant Singh.

As for now, Dr Tejwant Singh, apart from performing his duties as head of the District Health Department is also overseeing the working of Employees’ State Insurance Hospital.

The ESI hospital has over 32,000 card holders, who are entitled for medical services. Employees of the hospital said though medical services were largely dependent on doctors and other staff, absence of a permanent head affected the routine paper work and administrative services.

A senior doctor said, “Officials are already overburdened with duties. It will be better if a permanent medical superintendent is deployed at the hospital. The ESI caters to employees of various firms. A medical superintendent has to deal with these employees on a lot many occasions.”

Meanwhile, officials of the district administration said the additional charge, which was given to Civil Surgeon, was a stop-gap arrangement. A permanent head would be joining the ESI hospital soon, they added.