LAHORE:
Southern Punjab may not have too many state-of-the-art health facilities, but several of its cities have more specialist doctors than some of the bigger cities in the province, the First Quarter Report-2012 prepared by the District Health Information System of the Health Department has revealed.
The report, a copy of which is available with The Express Tribune, says there are 4,374 sanctioned posts for specialists in the Punjab 36 districts, of which only 56 per cent (2,449) are filled. The report, which has not yet been made public, reveals that some cities of the southern Punjab have a higher number of specialists than cities like Lahore, Faisalabad and Rawalpindi.
According to the report, there are 86 specialists currently in Muzaffargarh, which has a total of 102 sanctioned posts. In Dera Ghazi Khan, there are 91 specialists performing duties against 114 seats. In Multan, 110 specialists are currently working against 155 seats.
The report identifies Sargodha as the city with the highest percentage of specialist appointment. Currently, 124 specialists are working in the district against 127 sanctioned posts.
Muzaffargarh stands second, DG Khan third, Chakwal fourth with 74 per cent seats filled and Vehari fifth with 72 per cent seats filled.
By comparison, there are 87 specialists currently working in Lahore against 150 sanctioned seats. In Faisalabad, there are 247 seats, but only 87 specialists are working there. In Rawalpindi, the situation is nearly as bad with 35 specialists working against 112 seats.
Nankana Sahib has the lowest number of specialists in the Punjab with 18 out of 51 seats currently filled. Rawalpindi is second worst, Kasur the third (33 per cent seats filled) and RY Khan and Attock fourth with 34 per cent seats filled.
The report also reveals that other than specialists, there are 22,669 sanctioned posts of doctors in the Punjab of which 72 per cent are filled.
Muzaffargarh once against is well placed with 469 doctors working against 492 seats. Lahore, Vehari and Lodhran stand second with 94 per cent seats occupied and Sargodha third with 91 per cent seats for doctors filled.
Hafizabad has the lowest doctors to vacancies ratio- only 28 per cent seats are currently filled. Nankana Sahib has the second lowest fraction with 31 per cent seats filled, followed by Khushab, Chiniot and Kasur.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 20th, 2012.
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