Staff crunch ails Civil Hospital, Ludhiana

Manav Mander

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, April 22

Grappling with the shortage of staff amid the Covid-19 crisis, the Civil Hospital, Ludhiana, is facing a tough time.

Apart from doctors, supporting staff, including nurses and Class IV employees, at the hospital are facing acute manpower crunch.

Starting with Senior Medical Officer, there are two posts out of which the post of the SMO of Mother and Child Hospital (MCH) is lying vacant, after Dr Malwinder Mala took pre-mature retirement in February. With Covid at its peak, the entire work of both the hospitals (Civil Hospital and MCH) is taken care by Dr Amarjeet Kaur, Senior Medical Officer, Civil Hospital. The MCH has 280 functional beds.

The civil hospital caters to the entire district and patients not only from Ludhiana city but also periphery areas such as Jagraon, Raikot, Mullanpur, Sahnewal, Doraha etc. come here for treatment. The hospital has only two medicine specialists although there are sanctioned posts for four in total.

Presently, there are only two medicine specialists against four posts who are looking after the needs of the OPD patients, in house patients, doing medical for job entrants, VIP duties, post-mortem duties and making fitness certificates for various religious pilgrims from time to time. The civil hospital OPD caters to 250-300 patients daily.

Gynaecology is another important department functioning at half the strength of doctors. Of the eight sanctioned posts, only four are filled. On a normal day, gynaecology OPD gets nearly 300 patients and conducts 500 deliveries per month.

Against the sanctioned posts of four paediatricians, there are only two posts filled. MBBS Medical Officers sanctioned posts are 34 and only 15 are filled.

Similar situation prevails for the nursing staff as well. The sanctioned posts of nurses in the hospital is 90 while only 50 are filled and 23 are working on user-charges basis and 17 posts are vacant.

A doctor from the hospital, on the condition of anonymity, said the hospital needs more staff as Ludhiana is a big station and in addition to this, the supporting staff is of utmost importance and we are reeling under shortage of both doctors and supporting staff.

Senior Medical Officer, Dr Amarjeet Kaur said that they have been writing to the authorities from time to time regarding the vacant posts. Ludhiana is a big district and needs complete staff for smooth functioning.

20 volunteers required

The Civil Hospital is in need of 20 volunteers (nurses and attendants). Interested people can contact the office of Senior Medical Officer with their qualification and ability certificates.

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