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Punjab minister for Health and Family Welfare Laxmi Kanta Chawla on Friday swooped on Civil Hospitals in Kharar and Gharuan as part of her special drive to take stock of the working of health services across the state.

While she found all well in Kharar, nothing like a hospital was found by her in Gharuan, where two of the total three doctors were found absent and the wards were lying closed.

Divulging the details of her surprise visits over phone, the Minister told Hindustan Times that she would be soon ordering a high-level probe into the working of Gharuan hospital, which she said despite being located on a busy NH-95, linking Chandigarh with Ludhiana and Ferozepur via Kharar, was working as an OPD clinic without attending any indoor patients.  “We would bring desired improvements to make it look and work like a full-fledged hospital by providing quality healthcare to the area people,” assured she.

“Nobody from government side ever visited Gharuan hospital in the past due to which it was ailing,” told Chawla, while revealing that she was told on the spot that both the absent doctors were “well-connected” and seldom visit the hospital.

Minister said she would also be recommending posting more staff at Kharar Civil Hospital, where she felt according to the workload, the present staff strength was less.  “Otherwise, everything else was found in order during my surprise visit at Kharar,” she claimed.

Last week, Chawla had also paid surprise visit at SAS Nagar Civil Hospital.  “To ensure presence of staff and make them realize that somebody is there to ask and check them is my aim behind surprise visits,” added she.

PS Laxmi Kanta Chawla’s mug shot in today’s uncorrected folder.