Ludhiana: Heavy footfall, staff crunch throws ESI hospital in disarray - Hindustan Times
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Ludhiana: Heavy footfall, staff crunch throws ESI hospital in disarray

ByDinkle Popli, Ludhiana
May 21, 2023 11:31 PM IST

Although the hospital opens at 9 am, beneficiaries start lining up at around 5 am to get timely appointments

Despite diligently contributing a portion of their limited salaries to the Employee State Insurance (ESI) scheme, labourers in the city have to face deplorable conditions at the ESI hospital at Bharat Nagar Chowk. Even the patients grappling with serious ailments such as paralysis, cardiovascular issues and respiratory problems are forced to wait in queues to obtain essential medications.

Patient waiting in queues outside the hospital in Ludhiana on Sunday. (HT Photo)
Patient waiting in queues outside the hospital in Ludhiana on Sunday. (HT Photo)

Although the hospital opens at 9 am, beneficiaries start lining up at around 5 am to get timely appointments.

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“I arrived here around 5.30 am and was surprised to see that people were already here,” said Mohit Yadav, a 55-year-old patient seeking medications for a skin ailment. He added that he could only leave the facility at 3.30 pm after getting his medications.

Additionally, the labourers also need to be referred from their local ESI dispensary to avail the facilities of the hospital.

Shakuntla Devi, standing in line with her two toddlers, said “We cannot directly come here referred from the local dispensary. The dispensary is not near our house. After getting the referral, we have to spend hours here to get the necessary treatment and medications.”

Patients say despite reaching early, the medicine window is closed by the time they are checked at the OPD. This forces them come back the next day.

They say that this wastes their time and wages, on top of the transportation costs they have to bear.

“I took two autos to reach here and the round trip will cost me 80. I have also taken a day off from work to see the doctor. If I am fortunate enough to make it to the medicine window today, the prescribed medicines may not be available, which is a common occurrence,” said Nitin Mishra, another patient.

The only one in the state’s largest district, the 300-bedded hospital caters to nearly 16 lakh workers and their families covered under the ESI corporation.

Talking about the issue, medical superintendent Dr Bhairavi Deshmukh said, “The number of patients exceeds the sanctioned staff and facilities. Expansion projects for facility are in the pipeline and being formulated at the ministerial level, but it is too early to provide further details.”

She added that the hospital encourages the patients to visit dispensaries or seek online consultations to manage the workload.

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