Serving entire block all alone, doc now put on round-the-clock duty in Punjab’s Sangrur

Bathinda health department on Wednesday told a lone doctor of the entire Bhagta block to perform round-the-clock emergency services at the Community Health Center (CHC), Bhagta along with out-patient department services.

The doctor is already performing emergency and OPD services at the center. The doctors’ fraternity has termed the order as “in-human and unconstitutional.” The situation has occurred as all posts of doctors in Bhagta block, excluding doctor Dr Harpal Singh, have been lying vacant from the past several months.

According to the association of The Punjab Civil Medical Service (PCMS) doctors, there is a CHC and 6 PHCs (Primary Health Centers) in the block which have 12 posts of doctors - one each at PHC and 6 at CHC. However, only one post is occupied.

In the absence of doctors, emergency and OPD services are suffering in the block. “In view of the shortage of doctors at this institute, Dr Harpal Singh, medical officer at CHC Bhagta, will be bound to do on call round-the-clock emergency services along with his daily morning duty,” reads the order. The order was issued by Dr Seema Gupta.

Dr Jagroop Singh, general secretary of the district unit of PCMSA, said, “We have strongly taken up the issue at district and state level. This is inhuman, illegal and against unconstitutional. We are requesting government to recurrent more doctors to avoid such an in-human treatment of doctors and harassment of patients.

Bathinda civil surgeon Dr Tejwant Dhillon said, “We have already informed the higher officials about the vacant posts, and it will be filled whenever we get new doctors. Besides, I cannot comment on the order. Please ask the senior medical officer (SMO) of CHC Bhagta Bhai about the order.”

Dr Seema Gupta, SMO CHC Bhagta, did not respond to repeated calls and messages.