Thirteen specialist doctors appointed in Ludhiana hospitals

Ludhiana has welcomed the appointment of 13 specialist doctors to government hospitals in the district. This move comes as part of a broader effort to address the ongoing shortage of medical professionals in the area. Of the 13 doctors, six are physicians. They will be stationed at various facilities, including the Ludhiana civil hospital, Raikot, Samrala, Sudhar, and Jagroan community health centers. Currently, there are only two physicians serving in the district, while 23 positions are available. The new appointees were among 255 specialists placed across the state. All are postgraduates from government medical colleges and have committed to serving in the state health service. This initiative aims to ease the workload on existing medical staff. The area's health services have been strained due to a high vacancy rate of over 40% for doctor positions. Last year, the government tried to fill this gap by sending 17 doctors, but only 11 accepted the posts. Officials emphasize the importance of these appointments for the community. The Punjab Civil Medical Services Association noted that the new doctors will significantly improve healthcare access for the poor and needy. The state’s health department plans to conduct more walk-in interviews for specialists to further bolster the workforce. Dr. Akhil Sareen, the PCMSA state president, commented that the recent medical staffing efforts are crucial, especially following the pressures from the Covid pandemic.