Poor infrastructure, shortage of staff ail Jalandhar Civil Hospital

Aparna Banerji

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Jalandhar, February 25

The 500-bed Jalandhar Civil Hospital seems ill-equipped to provide emergency health care services to accident victims, a foundational requirements of the ambitious Sarak Suraksha Force launched recently by CM Bhagwant Mann.

Of the 741 accident cases reported in government medical facilities in Jalandhar in the year 2023, a mere 39 were reported at the state’s largest Civil Hospital in 2023, as per data received by the health authorities in Jalandhar.

The cases amount to a mere five per cent of the total medical patients reported in government medical establishments in Jalandhar. What is more shocking is that a single private hospital on the highway in Jalandhar received 889 road side accident cases last year – surpassing the total cases reported at government establishments in the district.

Officials said staff shortage at the hospital is the key reason for this. In past few years at least three wards (Ortho, TB and 3rd floor ICU unit) have closed due to staff shortage.

Surinder Saini, Member of the Rogi Kalyan Samiti, Jalandhar, said, “When the trauma centre had started, it was flooded with patients. The Civil Hospital now lacks infrastructure, medicines, staff and specialist doctors to cater to the needs of critical patients. In this scenario, private hospitals across Jalandhar the periphery are taking in the majority of the patients and minting money since they have requisite equipment too, while charging exhorbitant rates from patients.”

Sources in the Health Department told The Tribune, “Specialist doctors are already lacking at government facilities and in the evening hours many doctors at government CHs, periphery hospitals etc. do not attend to patients, or are unavailable. The existing staff is already short and overworked. Patients in emergencies are left with no choice. The government ambulances have also begun taking patients to private hospitals.”

Notably, as per protocol, the 108 ambulances plying across all areas in Jalandhar are supposed to take the patients to the civil hospital first.

While the SSF launched by CM Bhagwant Mann is based on the premise of providing prompt health care services to accident victims, the low reportage of patients at the CH raises questions on government healthcare and its ability to tackle grievous trauma cases.

In the year 2023, as many as 741 accident (road and rail) victims and 18 accident deaths were reported across government medical facilities in Jalandhar. As many as 702 accident cases and seven deaths were reported to the primary and community health centres and sub-divisional hospitals in Jalandhar and a mere 39 cases and 11 deaths were reported at the Civil Hospital (CH), Jalandhar. Interestingly, the number of patients reported at two of the medical centres (a CHC and an SDH) even surpass the numbers of the civil hospital.

While 123 road accident cases were reported at the Nurmahal Community health Centre (CHC), a whopping 378 accident cases were reported at the Sub Divisional Hospital (SDH), Phillaur. By comparison, as per data received from the Johal Hospital situated at the Rama Mandi highway in Jalandhar, as many as 889 road accident deaths were reported at the hospital in 2023 and 19 deaths were reported in the year. This surpasses the entire number of accident cases and deaths at the government establishments.

Jalandhar Medical Superintendent Dr Geeta said, “The Civil Hospital is at a distance from the highway which is a reason for this. We are currently running at 1/3rd the staff we need and staff requirement has been conveyed to higher ups time and again. We are taking in all patients being reported to us and are not referring any patients elsewhere.”

Dr BS Johal, owner of the Johal Hospital said, “We receive at least three accident cases a day and about 60 to 100 are reported per month. We are running a 150 bed establishment and 28 bed ICU well equipped with trauma equipment and staff. There are three highways close to our location so we get many patients.”

Adarsh Pal Kaur, Director, Health, Punjab, said, “Civil hospitals are secondary care centres and don’t provide tertiary treatment. Patients opting for tertiary care, choose other options. Staff wise, the government is very serious about the issue of recruitment of doctors and of specialist doctors is currently underway.”