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Lack of staff, medicines ail ayurvedic dispensaries

Health ad hoc panel raises problems of facilities with MC officials
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Aakanksha N Bhardwaj

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, July 27

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The health and sanitation adhoc committee on Monday held a meeting with the health officer and the Joint Commissioner of the Municipal Corporation and raised the issue of the ayurvedic dispensaries in a dilapidated condition for years.

Raising the issue, the chairman of the committee, Balraj Thakur and member Jagdish Samrai said there was a dire need to look after the dispensaries. At present, there are as many as 10 dispensaries that are based in Abadpura, Phagwara Gate, Preet Nagar, Basti Sheikh, Basti Mithu, Bhargo Camp, Santokh Pura, Central Town, Chugitti and Model House.

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The facilities, being run by the Municipal Corporation, do not have proper staff. These have been facing the shortage of medicines for over the last seven years. Surprisingly, there is not even a single pharmacist in any of the dispensaries. As per information, pharmacists have retired years ago and no recruitment has been made since. As no doctor has been recruited for the past many years, there are only five doctors for 10 dispensaries and they have been given the charge of two dispensaries each.

The civic body had reportedly made an estimate of Rs 3,00,000 for purchasing medicines in 2014, for which it had floated tenders on November 22 in the same year and then on January 8, April 15 and July 30 in 2015, but the bidders who approached the MC were of the view that the medicines were costlier, i.e. 85 per cent more than the one estimated by the MC.

After that, the tenders were again floated on December 12 in 2015, but to no avail. The estimated cost was revised to Rs 5,00,000 in 2017. However, the MC failed to get the medicines again.

Sources said resources were required to renovate the dispensaries. “It is very important that doctors and pharmacists are hired and infrastructure is also improved otherwise the dispensaries will continue to suffer,” the sources in the MC said.

MC Health Officer Shri Krishan said there was a plan to not to involve tendering process now and instead the approval would be sought from the government pharmacy for medicines.

Not even a single pharmacist employed here

The facilities, being run by the Municipal Corporation, do not have proper staff. These have been facing the shortage of medicines for over the last seven years. Surprisingly, there is not even a single pharmacist in any of the dispensaries. As per information, pharmacists have retired years ago and no recruitment has been made since.

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