Legislators raise concern over doctor shortage in Punjab

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Chandigarh, March 6

The shortage of doctors, spread of diseases and status of public healthcare services in Punjab found resonance in the Vidhan Sabha today with MLAs from both sides raising their concerns.

Ropar MLA Dinesh Chadha pointed out that the posts of doctor, mainly specialist, were lying vacant because the previous governments did not ensure that those doing their masters degree from government medical colleges fulfilled the bond of rendering service in public healthcare for two years after their postgraduation.

Issues raised

• Ropar MLA Dinesh Chadha blamed the previous governments for the vacant the posts of doctor
• Rajpura MLA Neena Mittal sought details of posts of doctor and Class IV employee at the the Civil Hospital
• Congress MLA Raj Kumar Chabbewal raised the issue of a steep rise in hepatitis C cases this year

Replying to this, Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh said the previous governments let these doctors go without rendering service or paying a penalty of Rs 15 lakh for not fulfilling the bond condition. “But we have started recovering the money. Since 2020-21, 701 MD doctors have rendered service, while our government has started recovering money from those violating the conditions. We have recovered around Rs 6 crore from them,” he said.

Rajpura MLA Neena Mittal sought details of posts of doctor and Class IV employee at the Rajpura Civil Hospital and demanded that the posts be filled immediately. Tarunpreet Singh Sond sought modernisation of the Civil Hospital, Khanna.

Congress MLA Raj Kumar Chabbewal raised the issue of a steep rise in hepatitis C cases this year, saying that by end of January, the total cases of hepatitis C were 16,136, which was the highest in the country. “In some jails, about 67 per cent of the jail inmates are infected that indirectly speaks of drug menace in jails,” he said.