Daily Times

LAHORE: Even as Punjab, the hub of medical education, continues to produce an impressive number of medical practitioners every year, the government hospitals are facing severe shortage of specialist doctors, as about 40% of specialists’ posts are lying vacant at tehsil headquarter hospitals (THQs) and district headquarter hospitals (DHQs) across the province, Daily Times has learnt.

Dearth of qualified officials at secondary level was making day-to-day work of the hospitals difficult, not only putting extra burden on existing doctors but also causing nuisance for the patients.

According to official report named “District Health Information System (DHIS) 2015”, it was revealed that there were 2,151 sanctioned posts of specialist doctors at THQs, DHQs and teaching hospitals in Punjab, out of which 959 (40%) were still lying vacant.

Report stated that the government has sanctioned 133 posts for district hospitals in Rawalpindi, out of which 63 were lying vacant. Likewise, 157 posts were sanctioned for Faisalabad district of which only 78 were filled, while 79 were still unfilled. As many as 288 posts of doctors were sanctioned for Lahore hospitals of which 113 posts were lying vacant.

The repot further stated that 31 posts in Bahawalnagar, 47 in Bahawalpur, 40 in Rahim Yar khan, seven in D G Khan, 24 in Layyah, four in Muzaffargarh, nine in Rajanpur, 21 in Jhang, 12 in Toba Tek Singh and eight posts in Chiniot district remained vacant. Similarly, 23 each in Gujranwala and Gujrat, 18 in Narowal, 32 in Sialkot, nine in Hafizabad, 12 each in Mandi Bahauddin and Kasur, 15 in Okara, 28 in Sheikhupura, 15 in Nankana Sahib, 20 in Khanewal, 11 in Lodhran, 53 in Multan, eight in Pakpatan, 12 in Sahiwal, 11 in Vehari, 43 in Attock, 16 in Chakwal, 25 in Jhelum, 15 in Bhakkar, 41 in Khushab, 20 in Mianwali and 35 slots of specialist doctor in Sargodha district remained vacant.

Due to the incompetence of the government, appropriate number of doctors were not posted in the hospitals, owing to which the patients were facing a lot of problems in getting medical treatment.

Shortage of specialists could be gauged with the fact that Punjab Primary and Secondary Healthcare Department authorised medical superintendent of DHQs and THQs to engage private anesthetist doctors to provide services to public hospitals against Rs, 2500 per case.

Punjab Specialists Association General Secretary Dr Nazar Murshad said that specialist cadre was being ignored and disregarded by the competent authorities without considering the facts that the specialist cadre was the backbone of health delivery system in DHQs and THQs.

He said under the current circumstances and facts, one consultant cannot provide medical service to a large community at THQ and DHQ hospitals 24 hours a day, seven days a week. “Especially where politicians, their representatives, VIPs and local administration were interfering in all matters,” he added.

Murshad said at present, specialist cadre was facing great injustice in proportion of posts in different grades due to which they have to wait more than 15 years for one step promotion, from grade 18 to 19, while many die/retire without being promoted to grade 20, adding that the government should change the existing formulae for splashing of posts in different grades.

He said the specialist cadre doctors were providing all kinds of treatment including surgeries to the patients. He said the healthcare system could be improved if the government resolves the problems and provides facilities to specialist cadre doctors.