Med services in poor shape, admits minister

Chandigarh, March 10

Accepting that the health services in the state were in a bad condition, Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh today conceded in the Assembly that hospitals, clinics and dispensaries in rural as well as urban areas don’t have the requisite staff or medicines and they lack proper infrastructure as well.

The minister said, “All emergency services for the public will be streamlined and made functional within six months.”

Leader of the Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa said, “Questions have been raised about Central funds being stopped for Aam Aadmi Clinics launched by the government. Services in hospitals have been affected because the staff have been transferred to these clinics.”

Dr Balbir said, “Our project is facing teething problems. We are recruiting fresh staff and sending old staff to their original place of posting. We met the Union Health Minister recently and showed that we had not wrongfully diverted any funds.”

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) MLA Dr Sukhwinder Sukhi said, “The health system will not improve without good doctors and they will not join till the time they are paid well.” Replying to it, the minister said, “We are working on increasing the salary of specialists to Rs 3 lakh per month from their current salary of approximately Rs 99,000.”