Year on since Punjab Govt order, specialist doctors still on deputation

Patiala, april 4

Nearly a year after the order of cancellation regarding the deputation posting of doctors was passed, the Health and Family Welfare Department, has failed to implement it.

While the continuation of deputation postings is in violation of the state government’s directions, patients visiting the hospitals are also turned away due to the doctors’ absence.

The then Principal Secretary of the department had issued orders to immediately cancel all deputation postings of medical officers (general and specialist) in May last year. But 12 months later, senior specialists continue to remain on deputation postings at Chandigarh. This includes senior MD doctors posted as professors, associate professors and assistant professors at government colleges.

A medical officer of the Kayachikitsa at Government Ayurvedic College, Patiala, has been deputed as a nodal office of Directorate, Medical and Research Education. The doctor is a clinical specialist and renders duties at the OPD of the Patiala hospital only twice a week.

A medical professional at the Ayurvedic College said patients have already complained of absence of doctors from duties in the past.

In fact both Dr Pradeep Kapil, Principal at the Ayurvedic College at Patiala and Dr Harjinder Singh, former Director Principal at Government Medical College, Patiala, had written to the DMRE for reinstatement of the specialist doctors to their original postings.