Patients referred, not treated: Health centres turn into pass-through hubs

Despite spending crores of rupees to improve healthcare in Himachal Pradesh, the state’s rural health services—especially in the Palampur region—remain in disarray. Poor management, acute shortage of doctors, inadequate paramedical staff, and lack of basic medicines have left health institutions barely functional.

While private agencies have praised Himachal Pradesh’s healthcare system and conferred awards on the government, the ground reality in Palampur tells a different story. Over a dozen Primary Health Centres (PHCs) and Community Health Centres (CHCs) in the region have failed to serve the public adequately.

Though each CHC has been allotted three medical officers and support staff, most function as mere referral centres. Even minor ailments are routinely referred to Palampur Sub-Divisional Hospital or Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College, Tanda.

Despite having proper infrastructure, basic procedures like childbirth are rarely conducted in these centres. Some institutions report only five to six deliveries annually. Accident victims are often denied even first aid, allegedly to avoid medico-legal formalities. Meanwhile, doctors at these centres continue to draw salaries ranging between Rs 1,00,000 and Rs 1,50,000 per month.

The failure of rural centers has overburdened the 100-bedded Civil Hospital in Palampur, which is stretched beyond capacity. Medicine and gynecology departments are the worst affected. Doctors are overwhelmed, juggling regular duties with emergency and night calls. Previous government directives to relieve specialists from night duties remain unimplemented.

Given that the patient load at Palampur is on par with district hospitals in Hamirpur, Una, Kullu and Bilaspur, experts stress the urgent need to strengthen core departments and post more postgraduate doctors with better incentives.