Punjab Govt Deputes CHOs to replace MBBS doctors in subsidiary health centres

Chandigarh: The Community health officers (CHO), who are non-physician health workers, are now being deputed at the subsidiary health centres in Punjab as replacements for MBBS doctors.

This move was taken by the State Government after the MBBS doctors got shifted to newly-opened Aam Aadmi Clinics (AACs).

While the State was already dealing with weakened rural health services, now the State's decision of deputing CHOs in the subsidiary health centres has raised questions, adds TOI.

Even though CHOs are trained healthcare workers, they have very limited healthcare expertise when compared to the physicians. They will hold OPDs, if required, and also refer patients to the nearest AACs for laboratory tests. Issuing an order, a senior medical officer in the Hoshiarpur district has deputed five CHOs to subsidiary health centres on Friday.

Also Read: 400 more Aam Aadmi Clinics to be inaugurated in Punjab on January 27

As per the latest media report by the Times of India, the Bhagwat Mann-led Punjab Government took this decision after it faced criticism for disturbing the existing health system by transferring MBBS doctors from rural dispensaries and other health centres to AACs.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that the State Government had inaugurated 100 AACs in the first phase on August 15, 2022 and recently 400 such Aam Aadmi Clinics (Mohalla Clinics) were launched on January 27.

These clinics have been established keeping in mind that health care is the right of every person in the state. With this facility, every gender and age group in the state would get health services without having to worry about their income. 

After opening these clinics, the Government was forced to transfer a large number of doctors and pharmacists from rural dispensaries to the new AACs. This resulted in a situation where many rural dispensaries became completely non-functional and it led to protests in many villages.

Now, the Government has decided to depute CHOs in the health centres. In this regard, the civil surgeons cited a telephonic message from the Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh and directed the senior medical officers for deputing CHOs in the rural dispensaries, who got closed after doctors were transferred to AACs.

Meanwhile, the Director Health Services Dr Ranjit Singh Ghotra has acknowledged that the CHOs cannot provide services at par with doctors. However, he informed that the State has given them the responsibility of running the subsidiary health centres to ensure that these centres remain operational and continue providing services of a certain level. He further assured that the process for filling up the vacant sanctioned posts is already underway.

However, upset with this decision, the social activities and public health experts Dr Daler Singh Multani, a retired civil surgeon opined that it was a way of cheating people and doctors.

“CHOs are mid-level service providers who can dispense medicine prescribed by doctors but cannot prescribe medicine on their own. They cannot replace doctors. Government is playing fraud with health services and the health of Punjab,” he mentioned while pointing out that the State Government forced a failed Delhi model in Punjab without doing groundwork

Rural Medical Officers (RMOs) have also opposed the move and they have also accused the State of damaging the rural health system. TOI adds that the RMOs have indicated that they will opt for protest if the government deputed CHOs continue running the subsidiary health centres of the zila parishads.

Also Read: MBBS doctors in Punjab to be posted at hospitals only after 2-3 years of duty at Mohalla Clinic