Sangrur, April 9: The state Health Department has decided to upgrade Bhawanigarh Community Health Centre (CHC) – that presently does not even have basic amenities — to a trauma centre. Sources said that out of the six vacancies of specialists, three — surgery, medicine and orthopaedic surgeon — have been lying vacant for the past many years.
The CHC does not have even a single regular Medical Officer. Presently, all five Medical Officers here are on deputation from other hospitals like Kohriya, Longowal and Moonak. They come to Bhawanigarh CHC on different days of the week. Five posts of nurse, out of eight sanctioned, are vacant.
“The CHC caters to 66 villages of the district. Though we always do our best to treat patients, the majority of them are being referred to Patiala or other hospitals. A trauma centre will benefit lakhs of people as between Patiala and Bathinda, there is no trauma centre,” said Dr Surjit Chaudhary posted at CHC Bhawanigarh.
Accident figures show that since 2017, 78 road accidents have taken place on the Sangrur-Patiala road, but the majority of patients from Sangrur and Bhawanigarh hospitals were referred to Patiala and Ludhiana hospitals due to lack of facilities.
Since January 2017, 23 persons have lost their lives in various road accidents under Bhawanigarh police station.
Sangrur Congress MLA Vijay Inder Singla, who has been taking up the matter of the trauma centre with the authorities since the formation of the Congress government in the state, said that the Punjab Government had approved its proposal.
“State Health Minister Brahm Mohindra has informed me that keeping in view the location of the CHC, the state intends to start a trauma centre at Bhawanigarh CHC. Our state health authorities have sent a proposal for it to the Union Health Ministry. I will take up the matter soon with the central authorities,” said Singla, showing the letter of the Health Minister.
Source: http://www.tribuneindia.com
