Ludhiana’s Healthcare Crisis as Authorities Grapple with Infrastructure and Staffing Challenges in 2024
Ludhiana’s healthcare system has been under scrutiny throughout 2024, as the city faces mounting challenges in addressing the growing demands of its population. Despite some positive developments, the Health Department continues to struggle with severe infrastructure and staffing shortages, leaving medical services in a precarious position. The Civil Hospital, the largest public healthcare facility in the city, has been at the center of criticism, especially after an incident in which a patient was forced to share a bed with a deceased person in the emergency ward.
This appalling event, which lasted for over 30 minutes, highlighted the extreme shortages of both staff and infrastructure at the hospital. The facility lacks crucial medical specialists such as forensic experts, radiologists, and medicine specialists, further exacerbating its ability to provide timely care. Even more troubling, critical departments at the hospital are underfunded and understaffed, with the absence of key medical personnel, including surgeons. Though health officials, including Health Minister Balbir Singh, have promised to make the ICU operational and establish a neonatal intensive care unit by January 2025, these issues remain unresolved. The ICU, which was set up during the Covid-19 pandemic, is still not functional due to the lack of trained staff to operate it.
Compounding these challenges, in September, expired medicines worth lakhs were found at Samrala Civil Hospital. These medications, which had expired two years prior, were discovered in the hospital’s storeroom, raising serious concerns about the management of medical supplies and increasing public mistrust in the healthcare system. To make matters worse, the Punjab Civil Medical Services (PCMS) doctors went on an indefinite strike in the same month, halting healthcare services across the region for a week. The strike was a result of unresolved issues, such as pending career progression schemes, arrears from the 6th Pay Commission, and security concerns at the workplace. The strike left patients without medical care, highlighting the fragile state of the healthcare system in Ludhiana.
Despite these ongoing issues, there have been some promising developments. The announcement of Ludhiana’s first government medical college by the Employees’ State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) has provided a much-needed sense of hope. With the introduction of 50 undergraduate MBBS seats, this new medical college could significantly improve the city’s healthcare infrastructure in the long term. Additionally, after a decade of delays, the Urban Primary Health Centre (UPHC) at the Civil Surgeon’s office has finally become operational. Although the facility, which offers 30 beds, is currently staffed by personnel on deputation, it is expected to alleviate some of the pressure on the overburdened public healthcare system.
However, despite these positive steps, the recurring issues within Ludhiana’s healthcare system underscore the need for urgent reforms. While new initiatives such as the medical college and the UPHC are promising, the ongoing problems suggest that more needs to be done to address staffing shortages and improve operational efficiency across healthcare facilities. The city’s healthcare system is at a crossroads, and it remains to be seen whether these positive changes can overcome the deep-rooted challenges plaguing medical services. The public deserves not only answers but tangible action to ensure that Ludhiana’s healthcare system can meet the growing needs of its residents.
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