The 300-bedded Civil Hospital, which caters to patients from across the district, is facing a serious crisis due to a shortage of specialist doctors. Despite government promises of world-class healthcare in public hospitals, the situation on the ground tells a very different story.
Key medical posts lying vacant
Crucial positions — including medicine specialist, surgeon, blood transfusion officer, and forensic expert — have been lying vacant for months, leaving thousands of patients to suffer.
The post of medicine specialist, considered the backbone of any hospital, is completely vacant after Dr Amanpreet Kaur, who had served for eight years, was promoted in March. With all three sanctioned posts of medicine specialists now unfilled, only temporary arrangements are being made. Two visiting specialists are available for just three days a week each. On their days off or during leave, patients are left without care.
The medicine department handles nearly 50–60% of the hospital’s daily OPD load of around 2,000 patients. “I’ve been coming here for over a year. Suddenly I was told Dr Amanpreet is no longer here, and no one told me where she’s gone,” said patient Rita Kumari in frustration.
Forensic delays and post-mortem backlog
Since September 2024, the hospital has been functioning without a forensic expert, even though it handles 7–10 post-mortem cases daily. Now, a forensic expert has to be called in from Khanna, along with other specialists like surgeons, orthopaedics, and microbiologists. These doctors are pulled from their regular duties to conduct post-mortems, often disrupting the functioning of other departments.
One specialist admitted, “We’re forced to leave OPD work to perform post-mortems. A forensic expert should be posted here immediately.”
No blood transfusion officer or surgeon
The post of Blood Transfusion Officer (BTO) — responsible for ensuring safe blood use and running the blood bank — is also vacant. This means no one is officially overseeing blood safety, stock management, or staff training in the hospital’s blood services.
The hospital also does not have a full-time surgeon. Earlier, 20–25 surgeries were performed each month, but the number has dropped sharply as surgeons now only visit on deputation.
One specialist, many departments
Departments like Skin, ENT, and Dental each have only one doctor. If that one specialist is on leave or assigned to another task, patients are left waiting. Similarly, the hospital has just one radiologist handling all ultrasound, CT/MRI scans, medico-legal tests, and court-related cases. Every month, the radiologist manages around 900 ultrasounds, 100 CT scans, and 25 age-estimation tests alone — a workload far beyond the capacity of one person.
Overburdened and understaffed
The hospital receives patients not only from the city but also from rural areas. With only a handful of doctors trying to meet the needs of thousands, long wait times at the OPD have become a daily reality.
Civil Surgeon Dr Ramandeep Kaur confirmed the crisis, stating that they have written to higher authorities several times requesting urgent appointments to fill the vacant posts. Until then, patients and staff alike are left to cope with a crumbling system.
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