The Punjab Human Rights Commission (PHRC) on Thursday took a strict congnisance of poor functioning of a civil hospital in Kurali, about 30 km from Chandigarh. Commission members had found a number of shortcomings at the hospital during a surprise check earlier this week .
After the visit at the hospital, the Commission recommended to fill six vacant posts of doctors immediately and also improve other facilities. The Commission also found that there was no paediatrician at the Hospital.
The Commission has recommended that there should be at least two women doctors and two nurses in the labour room. The Commission also raised the issue of lack of security arrangements. "There are only two doctors against the sanctioned strength of six doctors. There is no child specialist in the hospital. There are only two staff nurses in the hospital," a report prepared by PHRC Member Avinash Kaur said.
It is not the only government hospital where patients have been complaining about poor facilities, but the situation is same across the state. The issue of poor infrastructure, staff shortage and health facilities was discussed in details during the recent budget session.
During the session Punjab health minister Brahm Mohindra said that the state government was making continuous efforts to improve health facilities, including filling up the vacant posts at government-run civil hospitals.