LAHORE, Oct 3: A recent study by the Governor’s Inspection Team (GIT) has found that some 50 per cent sanctioned posts of anaesthetist in major district hospitals in Punjab are lying vacant.

Similarly, the rural health centres (RHC) and basic health units (BHU) are also facing shortage of doctors.

The team found that most specialist doctors in major district hospitals have set up their own private clinics and hospitals where they offer better medical facilities than they do at the state-run hospitals.

The GIT says the doctors force their patients at the public hospitals to come to their private hospitals. “The practice of concentrating on private hospitals is rampant in the district hospitals than in cities,” the GIT says.

It may be noted that the chief executive secretariat had conducted a survey regarding the working of various government hospitals in the Punjab. The survey had revealed financial irregularities, ill treatment of patients, non-availability of essential medicines and meal and doctors’ indifferent attitude with patients.

The GIT along with director-general and directors of health and services inspected major hospitals in 28 districts of the Punjab. The doctors’ attendance in the hospitals had been found reasonable in the morning shifts but a few doctors did their duty in evening and night shifts.

No meal was provided to patients which created problems for their attendants. To overcome this problem, the GIT recommends that the hospitals should arrange their own system of providing meals to the patients on nominal charges.