In Punjab, few opt for job of medical specialist in government hospitals

Vishav Bharti

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, November 16

Once much sought after, the job of medical specialists in the government sector now doesn’t appear to hold much attraction. Despite numerous assurances and walk-in interviews, 60 per cent of the recently advertised posts of specialist doctors are vacant.

In July, the Health Department started recruitment of specialists for 142 posts in six fields, including internal medicine, pulmonary medicine, gynaecology, anaesthesia, general surgery and paediatrics.

However, in the last four months, only 62 specialists have taken the offered job.

Less than 50 doctors joined work, as stipulated, in the first week of August. Twenty of them wanted the joining date extended.

The response to “internal medicine” speciality has been particularly poor. Out of 40 posts of medicine specialist, just around 15 were filled.

Experts feel that the main reason behind the cold response to walk-in interviews is the failure of the Health Department to satisfy specialists professionally and financially.

“In the past, surgeons have been posted at places where there is no infrastructure to perform surgeries,” said Dr Pyare Lal Garg, health activist and former Registrar of Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Faridkot.

However, Principal Secretary, Health, Hussan Lal said the problem was mainly with clinical specialities such as internal medicine, pulmonary medicine and gynaecology, as specialists in these subjects get a better deal monetarily in the private sector.

He said the government was trying to make the job of specialists in the government sector more attractive by offering them incentives and postings of their choice.