Punjab Cabinet Empanels 300 Specialist Doctors to Enhance Healthcare
Approval of Specialist Doctors
In a pivotal move to bolster secondary healthcare services in Punjab, the Cabinet, under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, has approved the empanelment of 300 specialist doctors across 12 vital specialties. This decision was made during a Council of Ministers meeting held in Chandigarh on Friday.
Key Specialties Included
According to a spokesperson from the Chief Minister’s Office, the empanelment will encompass various specialties, including Medicine, Paediatrics, Psychiatry, Dermatology, Chest & TB, Surgery, Gynaecology, Orthopaedics, Ophthalmology, ENT, and Anaesthesiology. This initiative aims to significantly enhance the availability of specialists and improve the quality of secondary healthcare delivery for the residents of Punjab.
Implementation Process
The empanelment procedure will be managed by Civil Surgeons at the district level. The doctors who are empanelled will be compensated per patient for services rendered, which include outpatient department (OPD) consultations, inpatient department (IPD) care, emergency duties, as well as major and minor surgeries and procedures.
Addressing the Specialist Doctor Shortage
This decision comes at a critical time, as Punjab’s public health system continues to grapple with a persistent shortage of specialist doctors, a challenge that has intensified in recent years.
Redeployment of Retired Specialists
Amidst an ongoing crisis in attracting new talent for government positions, the Punjab health department has opted to redeploy retired specialists on a contractual basis to mitigate the shortage of expertise. The state’s public health system has long struggled with a scarcity of specialists in essential areas such as gynaecology, anaesthesia, orthopaedics, and radiology. This latest initiative highlights the growing discrepancy between healthcare demands and the limited number of younger doctors choosing to work in the public sector.
New Consultant Openings Announced
To further tackle the specialist shortage, the state has announced 88 consultant positions, which include 20 openings in paediatrics, 19 each in gynaecology and general medicine, 11 in anaesthesia, 10 in general surgery, five in radiodiagnosis, and four in psychiatry.