Punjab faces acute shortage of gynecologists, anesthesiologists

Two Opposition members on Tuesday flagged the issue of shortage of doctors in government hospitals in their assembly segments.

Qadian MLA and leader of Opposition (LoP) Partap Singh Bajwa and Majitha MLA Ganieve Kaur Majithia took up the issue of shortage of medical staff during the question hour on the second day of the monsoon session. Health and family welfare minister Dr Balbir Singh admitted to an acute shortage of gynaecologists, anaesthesiologists and medical specialists in the state for a long time. “We are making regular efforts to recruit specialists. Out of 101 recruited recently, only 25 joined. We are now empanelling doctors and paying them for their services to overcome the shortage of specialist doctors and pay. This has been done in Tarn Taran, Malerkotla and Fatehgarh Churian,” he said in response to Majithia’s query, appealing to legislators to find doctors for empanelment.

Bajwa’s question was about the steps being taken by the department to overcome the acute shortage of doctors, paramedical staff, x-ray machines and medicines in health centres in Qadian. The health minister said there were 50 health centres in Qadian having 287 posts of doctors and paramedical staff, out of which 174 posts were presently filled. He said the approval for filling up 1,940 posts of medical officer (general) in a phased manner had already been issued.

“Out of these, the approval for filling up 400 posts through Baba Farid University of Health Sciences(BFUHS) has also been issued. In addition to the above, the process for filling up the posts of medical officers (specialist) through the departmental selection committee is also underway,” he added. Dr Balbir also said the Qadian assembly constituency had more health centres than any other constituency in the state, probably in the country also. The Congress member, however, questioned the data shared by the minister, calling it wrong. The minister objected to the remark and offered to visit the area.

Retired PCS probing shamlat land scam
Rural development and panchayats minister Laljit Singh Bhullar said that a retired PCS officer has been entrusted with the departmental enquiry against those involved in the shamlat land scam in some villages of Ghanaur. “Officers and employees, who were found to be involved in the said scam have been suspended and chargesheets have been served under Punjab Civil Services (Punishment and Appeal) Rules, 1970,” he added. The information was shared by the minister in response to Ghanaur MLA Gurlal Singh’s question regarding the amount received after the sale of shamlat land for the corridor to be built under the Amritsar-Kolkata Integrated Corridor Project (AKICP) in the villages of Sehra, Sehri, Akri, Pabra and Takhtu Majra of Block Shambhu Kalan in Ghanaur, its recovery by the director, panchayats, the amount recovered and action taken against the officers and employees who were found to be involved in the alleged scam.

The minister confirmed that the matter was investigated by a government agency. The ruling party legislator also asked about the amount involved but did not get a reply. Gurlal urged the minister to set a deadline for the probe. Hindustan Times