Persuading doctors to serve in Muktsar: Health Minister

“Doctors don’t come here. We are trying to motivate them,” said Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh, who visited Muktsar recently.

The minister made these remarks during his interaction with residents, who raised the issue of severe shortage of medical specialists at government hospitals of the district. “The Health Department posted 12 specialists at Muktsar and Gidderbaha Civil Hospitals last month. However, only one or two doctors have reported for duty at the Muktsar Civil Hospital,” he said.

“Perhaps only one or two could come here. Nine were posted in Muktsar. See, there is a genuine reason – you have to understand,” he said, acknowledging the chronic shortage of healthcare professionals in the region.

The state government had recently appointed fresh MD/MS graduates, nine to Muktsar and three to Gidderbaha, all of whom had signed indemnity bonds worth Rs 10 to Rs 15 lakh, committing to serve the government for one to two years. So far, 10 of them have not joined.

Chief Medical Officer Dr Jagdeep Chawla said, “One anaesthetist and a medicine specialist have joined at the Muktsar Civil Hospital. Nobody has reported at Gidderbaha. I have been told that some of the doctors are yet to complete their courses.”

The nine doctors ordered to join last month included chest, medicine, anaesthesia, radiology, surgery and gynaecology specialists. Three others, a skin specialist, an eye expert and a medicine specialist were posted at the Gidderbaha Civil Hospital.

Sources said just 16 out of 41 sanctioned posts for doctors were filled at the Muktsar Civil Hospital.

Even the post of Senior Medical Officer has been lying vacant for the past some time, with additional charge being given to the Deputy Medical Commissioner.

The issue, however, is not new. In 2016, during the SAD-BJP regime, then Health Minister Surjit Kumar Jyani had openly admitted that no government doctor was willing to serve in Muktsar.

Punjab