The Punjab government has implemented a significant overhaul of its protocol for providing medical care to Very Important Persons (VIPs). This decisive move aims to rationalise the deployment of specialist doctors and ensure these critical healthcare professionals are available for the general public at government hospitals.
New Guidelines to Curb Misuse and Ensure Equity
The state's Health and Family Welfare Department issued fresh, stringent guidelines on Wednesday, fundamentally changing how medical attention is extended to dignitaries. The core directive is clear: specialist doctors must not be routinely pulled away from their duties at government healthcare facilities to attend to VIPs at their residences or private locations.
This policy shift directly addresses long-standing concerns about the diversion of scarce medical expertise. The government's objective is twofold: to prevent the misuse of public healthcare resources and to guarantee that all citizens, regardless of status, have equitable access to specialised medical care within the hospital system.
Protocol for Genuine Emergencies
While curbing routine calls, the new framework does provide a clear pathway for genuine emergencies. In cases where a VIP requires urgent specialist care and cannot be moved to a hospital, a formal process must be followed.
The attending medical officer must first submit a written request detailing the clinical justification. This request requires the explicit approval of the Director, Health Services, or the Director, Family Welfare, depending on the case. Only after receiving this top-level administrative sanction can a specialist doctor be officially deputed for external VIP duty.
This procedural layer is designed to add accountability and ensure that such deployments are based on medical necessity rather than privilege or convenience.
Optimising Specialist Availability in Hospitals
The rationalisation drive is deeply connected to the government's efforts to strengthen its public health infrastructure. A key part of this strategy involves ensuring that specialist doctors are physically present and available for patients within hospital premises.
Frequent and unregulated external deputations were seen as disrupting hospital workflows and causing inconvenience to ordinary patients who had scheduled appointments or needed emergency consultations. The new order mandates that the primary workplace for these specialists is their designated government hospital or health centre.
By securing their presence, the Punjab government hopes to improve the efficiency and quality of care in state-run institutions, making them more reliable for the millions who depend on them.
A Step Towards a More Equitable Healthcare System
This policy revision marks a conscious step away from a culture of entitlement in medical services. It underscores the administration's stated commitment to prioritising the healthcare needs of the general population.
The move is expected to have several positive outcomes. It will lead to better manpower management within the health department, reduce patient wait times for specialist opinions in hospitals, and foster a more just system where medical resources are allocated based on need.
While the directive applies to all VIPs, including ministers, legislators, and senior bureaucrats, its ultimate beneficiary is intended to be the common citizen of Punjab, who can now expect more consistent access to specialist doctors during hospital visits.
