Ailing healthcare

THE appalling case at Ludhiana Civil Hospital, where a patient was forced to share a bed with a corpse for over half an hour due to administrative negligence, sheds light on the dire state of healthcare in Punjab. The incident underscores the urgent need for comprehensive reforms and increased investment in the health sector. The patient who died had been left unattended for days with a broken thigh bone. Such cases not only compromise patient safety and dignity but also erode public trust in the healthcare system. It is imperative that those responsible for the lapses are held accountable to prevent a repeat of such incidents.

While the Punjab Government has announced a hike in the healthcare budget and proposed initiatives like the establishment of new medical colleges and mohalla clinics, concerns remain about the adequacy of these measures to address the systemic challenges facing the sector. Experts have been rightly pointing out that the budgetary allocations may not be sufficient to scale up infrastructure, reduce the out-of-pocket expenditure of patients and improve health indicators in the state. Vacant medical posts compound the problem.

A multi-pronged approach is needed to address the healthcare crisis. Increased funding for infrastructure, recruitment of doctors and paramedic staff, implementation of stringent protocols to ensure patient safety and measures to bring down citizens’ medical expenses can help heal the ailing system. Improved governance and oversight to hold the authorities accountable for their actions are also needed. A transparent reporting mechanism and regular audits should be the norm to monitor the performance of institutions and prevent lapses in patient care. Punjab must invest in healthcare and ensure that every citizen has access to equitable and quality healthcare services.

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