Punjab's dispensaries ailing, not a penny for upkeep in 17 years

Vishav Bharti

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Chandigarh, June 28

Four governments have served the state in the past 17 years, but a majority of Punjab’s rural dispensaries did not get a single penny for the maintenance of buildings.

With an aim to strengthen panchayati raj institutions, the government had shifted 1,186 dispensaries of the Health Department to the Department of Rural Development and Panchayats in 2006. The government provided a one-time maintenance grant of Rs 50,000 to each dispensary.

75 more Aam Aadmi clinics on August 15

• In Phase IV, government to launch 75 Aam Aadmi Clinics (AACs) on August 15
• 25 subsidiary health centres (SHCs) under Rural Development Dept to be made AACs
• The expenditure limit for upgrade of the dispensaries fixed at Rs 25 lakh
• Provision of medicines, diagnostics and IT equipment to be made by the PHSC
• Human resource available at SHCs (RMO, pharmacist and Class IV staff to provide services at AACs)

However, since then, not even a single penny has been given to most of the dispensaries. The outcome is that most dispensaries have not even been whitewashed. Many buildings have been declared unsafe. The situation is such that many doctors work from either unsafe buildings or from makeshift arrangements at village dharamshalas or other common places in villages.

A large number of buildings are without windows. Some of the buildings which are in bad shape include Subsidiary Health Centre, Ghunas, in Barnala district, and dispensaries at Simbal Majara in SBS Nagar, Kulgran, Rupnagar, and Ria in Fatehgarh Sahib.

Some dispensaries, however, managed to get a facelift because these were located in constituencies of influential leaders. A few others were provided funds by local zila parishads. These dispensaries remained so neglected that the Rural Development Department started withdrawing itself from healthcare services. Nearly three years ago, it started giving back the dispensaries to the Health Department and doctors working there were declared “dying cadre”. Of the 1,186 dispensaries, now just 540 are left with the Rural Development Department.

Dr Deepinder Bhasin, President of the Rural Medical Officers Association, Punjab, said rural doctors were forced to work in pathetic conditions for the past several years. “Previous governments ignored rural dispensaries; we hope this government does something to improve the situation,” he said.

Attempts to contact DK Tiwari, Principal Secretary, Rural Development, proved futile as he did not take calls.