Nawanshahr, June 28
Patient care has taken a backseat due to an acute shortage of doctors at the local Ex-Servicemen Contributory Health Scheme Polyclinic here. The ECHS Polyclinic was started in a rented building in November, 2011 to cater to the healthcare needs of ex-servicemen and their families.

About 4,000 ex-servicemen having ECHS card from the district and the adjoining areas of Jalandhar and Hoshiarpur have been availing healthcare facilities at the hospital.

The average number of daily out-patient department (OPD) patients at the polyclinic is 75. The patients visiting the clinic for treatment said the location and the services provided by it were good but lack of doctors, especially medicine specialist and dental surgeon, was a major problem.

Due to this, many ex-servicemen and their family members have to visit Jalandhar and Chandigarh for availing the services of specialist doctors.

Col NS Sandhu, officer in-charge, ECHS Polyclinic, said he had been getting positive response from people. A sum of Rs 1.60 lakh as donation had already been collected from local people.

To make up for the lack of dental care facilities such as dental chair and dental surgeon, Dr Jaswinder Singh of Raja Hospital arranged the requisite facilities at the ECHS Polyclinic.

Arrangements are being made with the local Ivy Hospital and Sandhu Eye Hospital so that patients from the polyclinic could also avail medical care from these hospitals.

The land for setting up the ECHS Polyclinic in the district administrative complex has also been allotted and efforts to get the appropriate funds sanctioned for the construction work are being made.

"Due to lack of awareness, ex-servicemen had not got their ECHS cards prepared, thus depriving them of benefits. They have to spend hefty amount on treatment in private hospitals. We had been trying to create awareness among ex-servicemen and asking them to submit their applications along with requisite documents at the local ECHS Polyclinic for hassle-free preparation of ECHS cards," said Col Sandhu.

Lt Col Jarnail Singh, district president, Ex-Servicemen Welfare Association, urged the authorities concerned for immediate recruitment of doctors to provide comprehensive healthcare facilities to the ex-servicemen. The interview for the recruitment of doctors, especially medicine specialist, was held about three months ago but appointments are still awaited.