Chandigarh, January 4
If you happen to be an out station patient and not an emergency case, which can wait, it is better to postpone your visit to the PGI as it is that time of the year when things move at a slow pace as more than 150 doctors at the institute are away enjoying their winter vacations.
Having a faculty of 338 doctors, it is holiday time at the PGI, as doctors have been on 15-day vacation each, in two halves beginning from December 7.
However, to ensure that patients do not suffer the doctors go on leave in two halves for 15 days each. Interestingly, the evening OPD started at PGI with much fanfare on December 2, had to be temporarily withdrawn, within four days due to the winter vacation.
“Though our endeavor remains that no patient should suffer during this period, however, it is but natural that with the strength of doctors reduced to half, there is bound to be some amount of inconvenience,” admitted a head of department. Due to the absence of doctors for such a long duration the surgery dates of after three to four months given to patients are further postponed.
With the PGI being the premiere medical institute of North India, patients from Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttranchal and even as far as Uttar Pradesh, come here for treatment. A faculty of 338, along with over 750 senior and junior resident doctors work tirelessly to bring succor to the ill and suffering at PGI.
“Since the doctor who had been treating me is away on leave, I have made three trips to the PGI so far, as I have to be admitted for neurosurgery,” said a patient from Ludhiana. His relatives say that everytime they come here, they are asked to come back after two days to see if he can be admitted or not.
The story is no different in the New OPD Block, where hundreds of patients come daily. Some of the patients, who have been under treatment, at times face a lot of inconvenience, when the particular doctor treating them is away on leave. “God forbid if something serious happens to a patient, who has undergone surgery or is being treated by a particular doctor, others are rather reluctant to take up his case,” remarked a doctor. However, all emergency cases are taken care of immediately.
However, this is a situation where the PGI administration can do little, as like any other employees doctors too need a break and are entitled to holidays. “Their absence is felt much more as for a patient a doctor is like God, in whose hands his life is,” admits a doctor.
“We ensure that no patient suffers during the one-month winter vacation, when the faculty is on leave for 15 days each during the two halves,” said the PGI spokesperson. Moreover, with teaching activity remaining suspended during the vacation period, doctors who are on duty try and make up for the absence of their colleagues, she added.
“There is no denying that sufficient number of doctors are always present in every department, even during vacations but with so many specialities in each faculty, there are several occasions when a doctor is badly missed,” is how resident doctors explain the situation, adding that it was the out station patient, who was the worst hit.
While half of the doctors are on vacation, there are many who are away to attend seminars, workshops and CMEs to keep abreast with the latest techniques and advancements in their field, further reducing the strength of doctors on duty. Even during the month long summer break, the pace of work at the PGI suddenly slows down but then doctors too need to unwind and enjoy vacations.
