Nearly a year after its grand opening, a key urban health facility in Ludhiana is struggling to serve the public due to a severe lack of medical and support staff. The Model Urban Primary Health Centre (UPHC) in Haibowal, inaugurated with much promise, now sees a trickle of patients against its intended capacity, raising questions about resource allocation and healthcare delivery in the industrial city.
A Facility in Waiting: Inaugurated but Inactive
The centre, located in the densely populated Haibowal area, was officially inaugurated on May 15, 2023. It was established under the National Health Mission (NHM) with the goal of providing accessible primary healthcare to the urban population. The facility boasts a well-constructed building with designated rooms for various medical services, including outpatient care, a laboratory, a pharmacy, and space for maternal and child health services.
However, the reality on the ground is starkly different from the plan. The centre currently operates with just one sanctioned post of a medical officer filled. Critical positions, including staff nurses, pharmacists, laboratory technicians, and class-IV employees, remain vacant. This skeletal workforce has crippled the centre's ability to function at full capacity, forcing it to offer only limited OPD services.
The Ripple Effect of the Staffing Crisis
The consequences of this staff crunch are direct and severe for Ludhiana's residents. Patients visiting the centre often find themselves unable to access comprehensive care. The absence of a pharmacist means medicines cannot be dispensed on-site. The lack of a lab technician renders diagnostic services non-functional. This forces patients, particularly from economically weaker sections, to seek these basic services from private clinics at a higher cost, defeating the purpose of a subsidized public health facility.
Local residents and community leaders have expressed their frustration. They point out that while the infrastructure is now in place, the failure to deploy adequate human resources has made the centre a mere showpiece. The underutilization is especially glaring in a city like Ludhiana, which faces significant public health challenges and where accessible primary healthcare is in high demand.
Official Response and Pending Solutions
When questioned about the delays, health department officials acknowledged the problem. They cited procedural delays in the recruitment and deployment process under the NHM framework as the primary reason for the staff shortage. Officials stated that requests have been made to higher authorities to expedite the filling of the vacant positions.
However, as the centre approaches its one-year anniversary of inactivity, the community's patience is wearing thin. The situation highlights a recurring issue in public health projects: the gap between inaugurating infrastructure and ensuring its operational readiness with trained personnel. The Haibowal UPHC stands as a testament to wasted potential, where a significant investment in brick and mortar is yet to translate into tangible health outcomes for the people it was built to serve.
The need of the hour is for the state health authorities and NHM administrators to treat this as a priority. Swift recruitment and posting of the full complement of staff is essential to transform this underutilized building into a vibrant hub of community healthcare, fulfilling the promise made to Ludhiana's citizens over a year ago.
