202 docs sent to Aam Aadmi Clinics, emergency services at hospitals in Punjab hit

Vishav Bharti

Chandigarh, February 12

Deputing a large number of Punjab Civil Medical Services (PCMS) doctors for Aam Aadmi Clinics has severely hit emergency services in government hospitals across the state.

Just before the launch the mohalla clinics on January 27, the Health Department had hurriedly deputed 202 PCMS doctors to Aam Aadmi Clinics. The Health Department did not make it clear whether these doctors would render medical services or not. But the reality is that all of them have been exempted from emergency duties.

The outcome is that it has severely hit emergency services. The shortage of doctors for emergency duties is clearly visible and burden had increased on doctors, who were left behind at community health centres. In some cases, they are now doing double duty.

In some CHCs, emergency services have been shut down. Emergency services have been worst hit in Bathinda, Barnala, Faridkot, Ludhiana and Muktsar districts. Earlier, the government had exempted specialists belonging to specialties, including radiology, gynaecology, paediatrics and anaesthesia, from emergency duties. Now, pulling out of 202 MBBS doctors has massively increased burden on those left behind.

The PCMS Association says the government has started mohalla clinics in a hurry. First, they messed up the rural healthcare services. Now, the impact is visible on emergency services also. “It would have been better had the government recruited doctors especially for Aam Aadmi Clinics instead of pulling out doctors from existing health facilities,” said Dr Kanwaljit Singh Bajwa, senior vice-president, PCMS Association, Punjab.

Earlier, rural health services were badly hit due to deputing of around 135 Rural Medical Officers at Aam Aadmi Clinics. Following protests in several villages, rural doctors were sent back to their original postings.

Will recruit house surgeons soon

The burden on the existing staff has increased. We are going to recruit house surgeons immediately, which will help run emergency services in hospitals smoothly. — Dr Ranjit Singh Ghotra, director, health services