10 days on, doctors posted in Muktsar dist yet to join duty

None of the 12 specialist doctors posted by the Health Department at Muktsar and Gidderbaha civil hospitals over 10 days ago has joined duty so far.

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The district health authorities claimed these fresh MD/MS graduates had already signed indemnity bonds for Rs 15 lakh each, committing to serve the state government for two years after completing their postgraduate courses.

“I will seek a report from both Muktsar and Gidderbaha civil hospitals, where nine and three doctors were posted, respectively, and send that to the head office. These doctors have signed an indemnity bond to serve the state government,” said Dr Jagdeep Chawla, Chief Medical Officer, Muktsar.

Dr Hitinder Kaur, Director, Health Services, Punjab, said she would check that.

The issue of doctors’ shortage rocked the Vidhan Sabha during the recent Budget session when AAP MLA from Dharamkot (Moga district) Devinderjeet Singh Laddi Dhos slammed the state government, asking Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh if his constituency was “part of Pakistan”. Healthcare services are badly affected in this part of the state due to shortage of doctors.

The Muktsar Civil Hospital has long been waiting for an MD Medicine specialist. The new postings at this hospital include a chest specialist, two medicine specialists, a microbiologist, two anaesthetists, a radiologist, an obstetrician-gynaecologist and a surgeon.

At the Gidderbaha Civil Hospital, the newly posted specialists include a dermatologist, an ophthalmologist and a medicine specialist.