MUKTSAR, June 21— Faced with a severe shortage of medical personnel, the Health Department in Muktsar district has hired 10 MBBS doctors on an ad hoc basis to ease pressure on overstretched government hospitals.
The decision comes amid troubling figures — of the 12 specialist doctors posted in March, only three have reported for duty, sources revealed. Over 70 per cent of sanctioned doctor posts in the district are currently vacant, creating a healthcare crisis across civil hospitals.
“With nearly 70 per cent of the sanctioned posts of doctors vacant, we had no option but to make temporary appointments,” said a senior health official on condition of anonymity.
Dr Jagdeep Chawla, Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Muktsar, confirmed the appointments. “We have hired eight house surgeons at the Muktsar Civil Hospital, and one each at Gidderbaha and Malout Civil Hospitals. These doctors will serve for a period of six months,” he said.
The district’s healthcare infrastructure has been under immense strain for several months, with existing medical staff often forced to shoulder dual responsibilities in emergency, OPD and ward duties.
Health officials say that while the temporary appointments will bring some relief, a long-term solution is urgently needed. The department continues to await permanent postings from the state government.
