Chandigarh, April 30
The Punjab Vigilance Bureau, in its drive against corruption and other malpractices in government departments, conducted state-wide surprise checking of 324 primary health centres (PHCs) and dispensaries of the Health Department, Punjab, and found 91 doctors, 49 ANMs, 34 pharmacists, 19 multi-purpose health workers (MPHWs) besides 295 others absent from duty.

Disclosing this here today, Mr A.P. Pandey, Chief Director-cum-ADGP, Vigilance Bureau, Punjab, said after receiving complaints about absenteeism and malpractices in the PHCs and dispensaries, it was decided to conduct a check simultaneously.

For this purpose, all seven ranges of the Vigilence Bureau were directed to check the dispensaries, particularly in the remote rural areas in the state. He added that in 17 districts, 324 dispensaries and PHCs were raided by teams of Vigilance Bureau officials. One dispensary each in Bathinda and Ferozepore districts and three in Moga district were found locked and the entire staff found absent from duty.

Mr Pandey further said in the absentee list, Amritsar topped. There, 15 doctors, 29 ANMs, 12 pharmacists, seven MPHWs and 49 others were not on duty in all 45 dispensaries and PHCs checked by the teams.

Giving a district-wise data of absentees, he added that in Ropar and Ludhiana, seven doctors and one pharmacist were found absent during the checking of 36 dispensaries. Twelve doctors, six ANMs, nine pharmacists, five MPHWs and 29 others were found absent in Bathinda in 25 dispensaries, while in Amritsar district, 15 doctors, 29 ANMs, 12 pharmacists, seven MPHWs and 49 were found absent in 45 dispensaries and PHCs. In Moga district, 25 dispensaries were checked and 11 doctors and 54 others were found absent.

The Vigilance Bureau Chief added that in Gurdaspur district, two doctors, three ANMs, two pharmacists, four MPHWs and eight others were absent in 14 dispensaries and PHCs, while four doctors and 13 others were not on duty in 22 dispensaries and PHCs in Nawanshahr. Four doctors and 22 others were found absent in 16 dispensaries of Jalandhar district and five doctors and 16 others were not present in 19 dispensaries and PHCs in Hoshiarpur district. Similarly, six doctors and 32 others were also found absent in 15 dispensaries and PHSs in Kapurthala district.