Civil Hospitals have become mere referral centres: Selja

Sirsa MP and former Union minister Kumari Selja today claimed that the BJP government in the state made several promises but fulfilled only a few. “Under BJP rule, health services are struggling for treatment. In the state, 42 per cent of doctors and other staff positions are vacant. Not only that, there are neither doctors nor medicines in hospitals. Where should patients go?” she asked.

“Treatment in private hospitals has become so expensive that patients end up leaving the hospital empty-handed. The Ayushman card, which the government boasts about, is no longer accepted by private doctors,” she said.

In a statement released to the media, Selja said the BJP government talked about better health services, but nothing was visible on the ground. “Even state medical colleges neither have a permanent director nor a medical superintendent,” she claimed.

Selja said Sirsa had a unique identity in the state. “The Civil Hospital has become just a building. Most specialist doctors are not available here, and without doctors, necessary equipment is also lacking,” she said.

The Health Department did not seem serious about infrastructure, human resources, medicines, equipment, etc, she stated. “It is unable to meet the health needs of all categories of the population, including the sick, trauma victims, infants, children, adolescents, mothers, eligible couples, and the elderly. Civil Hospitals have become mere referral centres,” she alleged.