Surprise Inspection by Health Minister at Punjab hospital finds 13 out of 16 doctors MISSING
Delhi Medical Council
Jagraon: In a surprise inspection conducted at a Civil Hospital here, Punjab Health Minister Balbir Singh was disappointed after he observed that out of a total of 16 doctors, only three were present at the hospital.
Following this, Balbir Singh issued a warning to the health department's employees, urging them to avoid negligence and a careless attitude toward providing healthcare services to the ailing population.
He expressed his concern that any health personnel, especially doctors, found to be careless in their duties would face strict consequences, including being posted to border stations.
The three doctors who were present during the inspection have been identified as Dr Manmeet Luthra, Dr Sukhdeep Kaur, and Dr Manpreet Singh, along with other healthcare staff.
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As per The Tribune news report, the issue was pointed out when the minister paid a surprise visit to the hospital at around 12 pm and witnessed that only three doctors accompanied him while the rest were absent. Following this the minister ordered a detailed report regarding the unannounced leave.
The report prepared by the Deputy Medical Commissioner Dr Ramandeep Kaur, and Civil Surgeon Dr Hatinder Kaur mentioned that only one doctor deployed under the NHM scheme had proceeded on unsanctioned leave.
"Having received information about the visit of the Health Minister, we had advised the DMC Dr Ramandeep Kaur to prepare a comprehensive report on deviation from regular duties if any and it was found that only one doctor deployed under the NHM scheme had proceeded on unsanctioned leave."
In response to the situation, health authorities at the District Health Office clarified that only one doctor, who was deployed under the National Health Mission scheme, had taken unsanctioned leave. The other medical officers or specialists were either on court appearances or on deputation, and two of them were supposed to be on evening and night duty.
In addition to addressing the issue of doctor attendance, Dr Balbir Singh conducted a thorough check of registers to ensure the physical presence of all doctors. Further, he engaged with patients and their attendants directly to gain firsthand information about the issues they were facing.
Furthermore, Dr Balbir Singh offered reassurance to the patients, promising that vacant positions for doctors and paramedical staff would be filled in the near future. This commitment to recruiting additional medical personnel was made to ensure that healthcare services are readily available to the local population.
Additionally, he pledged to provide the necessary equipment and resources as needed, ensuring that the medical facilities have the required equipment to deliver quality care.
