Open house: Isn’t it time to address staff shortage at Civil Hospital?

Adopt multi-pronged strategy | Improve postgraduate quota benefits | Develop infra

What’s the Issue

THe Municipal Corporation has installed dustbins from time to time in the city. The civic body has also focused on segregation of wet and dry waste. But none of these measures have ever succeeded beyond a few months. Damaged dustbins have not been replaced with new ones. To prevent public littering, dustbins must be installed in the city.

QUESTION for next week

The perennial garbage problem plagues the city. There is an ominous absence of dustbins on roads in the city, a task undertaken by the Municipal Corporation. While the Deputy Commissioner’s steps to prevent littering on plots is welcome, doesn’t the industrial town need thousands of bins so that garbage isn’t dumped in public places?

Suggestions in not more than 150 words can be sent to jalandhardesk@tribunemail.com by Thursday (August 14)

Private sector major beneficiary

The staff shortage at state’s district civil hospitals and sub-divisional hospitals is a chronic problem which seldom goes away with time. Hospitals in the district are still underequipped. While such issues are highlighted when there is a massive negligence, these mostly go unaddressed. The poor man visiting hospitals isn’t even acknowledged most of the time. At many times people sick of countless visits to government facilities opt for private hospitals. The private sector is the major beneficiary of this gap between the promise and lack of providing government health services in the state. The health sector is the backbone of the wellbeing of the state’s poorest and underprivileged masses. Removing staff shortages in it, must be the topmost priority of the state government.

Rajveer Singh

Doctors lack empathy towards patients

Not just deputationists, but behaviour of other doctors too in government health facilities requires government’s attention. While a few overburdened healthcare professionals toil endlessly, the lack of empathy by others, in treatment meted out to many under privileged patients, is a cause of concern and must be addressed on priority. The private healthcare sector is driven by profits earned by providing expensive facilities and meeting targets. The focus of the ruling dispensation must be on deploying adequate staff at government hospitals to treat people from all walks of life.

Simrandeep Kaur

Staff indulges in unruly behaviour

A patient’s entitlement is often overlooked in government healthcare facilities. With costly five star private healthcare on one hand and state of the art healthcare at most government hospitals, patients often arrive with lofty expectations which the government sector is unable to provide. Littering is common at hospitals. Staff indulges in bad behaviour. The government must provide adequate staff and infrastructure to ensure successful functioning of its healthcare facilities. Patients must cooperate and be patient when at government hospitals.

Surinder Kumar

Promises beset with delays

From dirty, unkept hospitals to lack of timely treatment of patients and serious lapses in healthcare, most of these issues boil down to inadequate staff at government hospitals. Hospitals face shortage of doctors, ward boys, nurses and even Safai Karamcharis. Crores are routed to the government healthcare sector. Manpower is required to run hospitals. Repeated promises by the government regarding provision of more staff are beset with delays. The health sector is increasingly getting out of the reach of the common man due to such shortcomings. The government’s intention to improve healthcare sector and run various programmes, including health insurance for all, totally depend on the availability of staff at hospitals.

Shvet Gupta

Isn’t public health a top priority

I fail to understand why the government continues to ignore the urgent issue of recruiting more doctors. Isn’t public health supposed to be a top priority? The ongoing shortage of medical professionals is deeply concerning and poses a serious risk to the well-being of citizens. The recent deaths in Jalandhar hospital have created an atmosphere of fear and uncertainty. If people can’t feel safe even in hospitals, where are they supposed to go in times of need? It’s alarming that such a critical issue isn’t being addressed with the urgency it deserves. Strengthening the healthcare sector should be non-negotiable.

Aditya Sharma

Nothing done on ground zero

We need immediate action —better staffing, improve infrastructure, and a clear commitment from the authorities concerned to provide better healthcare facilities. Lives are at stake. Inaction is no longer an option. The government must improve healthcare as it is essential for the well-being of the pulic. Recently, three persons died while they were admitted to the Jalandhar Civil Hospital. Nothing can be more shameful than this. Ministers come and give big statements, but nothing is done on ground zero.

Neha Kapoor

Current state of affairs unacceptable

Instead of constantly launching new projects, the government must prioritise maintaining and improving existing ones. It is deeply concerning that hospitals are facing staff shortage. Such negligence directly compromises public safety and risks lives. If a hospital lacks adequate staff, how can it provide proper care to patients? Why isn’t the government addressing this issue with the urgency it deserves? The consequences are tragic and irreversible. Just think of the families who lost loved ones while they were admitted to Jalandhar Civil Hospital, trusting the system to take care of them. These are not just statistics — they are real people whose deaths could have been prevented. The government must be held accountable for ensuring essential services function effectively. It is not only a matter of management, but a moral responsibility. The current state of affairs is unacceptable and shameful.

Saurabh Kumar