Last Updated: 7 April 2025

Challenge: Attracting and retaining doctors in Govt Hospitals, especially Rural & Semi Rural areas

Initiatives:

1.New Policy for PG benefits
2.Additional incentives for rural areads
3.Creation of New posts to reduce load
4.New Specialist courses & offered Govt Service under pre-admission signed bond
5. Increased Salary from 30k to 70k for House Surgeons

¶ 1. Started Career progression scheme^[1]

Previous Govt had suspended a similar scheme

• There are limited promotion opportunities for Doctors
• Hence this scheme gives an assurance from the Government that doctor will get at least 3 pay upgrades in his/her entire career
  • At 5 year, 10 year and 15 year service completion
• There are limited promotion opportunities for Doctors
• Hence this scheme gives an assurance from the Government that doctor will get at least 3 pay upgrades in his/her entire career
  • At 5 year, 10 year and 15 year service completion
• Previous Govt had suspended a similar scheme

¶ 2. NEW Policy to attract & retain Doctors^[2]

• Extending postgraduate quota benefits to Emergency Medical Officers
• Additional benefits for non-preffered locations based on Categorisation of public health facilities
  • Normal: Within 20 kms of Big Cities
  • Difficult: Ones which falls in neither "Normal" or "Most Difficult"
  • Most Difficult: Includes Border and Aspirantional Districts
• Special incentives for Border and Aspirational areas
• More reforms including dynamic career progression and safer working conditions are also being worked upon

¶ 3. New Posts created^[3]

New 1579 Posts of Doctors Created i.e. More Doctors
-- Hiring in progress along with old vacant posts

• 09 March 2024: Created 1390 NEW posts & revived 189 posts of Medical Officer (General)

¶ 4. Specialist Doctors

All PG passout Specialist doctors are given Govt job offers

Previous governments let PG passout Specialist doctors(on bond) go without rendering service or paying a penalty of Rs 15 lakh^[4]

• March 2025: 255 Specialist doctors offered to join govt hospitals as per the bond signed by them at the time of admission^[5]
• 271 Specialists(MD/MS Doctors) hired on 16 Jan 2023^[6]
• 200 PG passouts(MD/MS Specilist Doctors) offered Govt Service under pre-admission signed bond^[7]
• Hiring of General MBBS & Emergency Doctors will also remove additional load from Specialist Doctors

¶ 4a. DNB positions created^[7:1][8]

A total of 85 (DNB) seats have been approved in the 14 districts hospitals

• DNB (Diplomate of National Board) is equivalent to MS/MD specialist Post graduate degree
• 3 year residency course
• To overcome the shortage of specialist doctors at various District Hospitals of Punjab

¶ 5. House Surgeons^[7:2][9]

Salary increased from 30,000 to 70,000 + accommodation etc

• 300 House Surgeons already working
• 'Earn While You Learn' program for MBBS graduates who serve Govt Hospitals
• Also learn from Specialists/Medical College profs via online mode
• Participate in 24*7 emergency services

¶ 6. Mohalla Clinic doctors

• 1 doctor for each clinic

Details:

• Mohalla Clinics in Punjab

References:

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1. https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/career-progression-scheme-notified-doctors-call-off-stir/ ↩︎

2. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/115674283.cms ↩︎

3. https://www.babushahi.com/full-news.php?id=180485 ↩︎

4. https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/legislators-raise-concern-over-doctor-shortage-485810/ ↩︎

5. https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/chandigarh-news/punjab-255-specialist-doctors-to-join-govt-hospitals-101742757515935.html ↩︎

6. https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/chandigarh-news/over-25-000-youths-got-govt-jobs-in-10-months-punjab-cm-mann-101673896467968.html ↩︎

7. https://www.babushahi.com/full-news.php?id=169457 ↩︎ ↩︎ ↩︎

8. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diplomate_of_National_Board ↩︎

9. https://m.timesofindia.com/city/ludhiana/punjab-government-to-launch-earn-while-you-learn-program-to-meet-shortage-of-doctors-in-hospitals/articleshow/98756058.cms ↩︎