Capt relieves 7 docs who served ex-CM, new panel soon

CHANDIGARH: Chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh has relieved a team of seven doctors and two physiotherapists attached with former CM Parkash Singh Badal, and has sought a new team.

Amarinder, who is expected to trim down the number of doctors in his attendance, has also issued instructions to let the former CM to retain the doctors of his choice.

A retired doctor of the Punjab Civil Medical Services (PCMS) cadre, Dr Vijay Harjai, is selecting the doctors to be attached with the CM. Making it to the panel of doctors attached with the chief minister is considered a ‘plum posting’ for the obvious reasons.

The doctors attached with Badal were: Dr Manjit Singh (dentist), Dr Jaswinder Singh (surgeon), Dr Anurag Vashisht (skin specialist), Dr Gurpreet Singh (chest specialist), and Dr Sandeep Singla, Dr Amrik Singh Cheema, and Dr Naveen Kaushik, all MD (Medicine).

“Earlier, four doctors used to move with the CM. During Badal’s tenure, the number was increased to seven due to his frequent movement,” said a health department official. As per reports, Amarinder has instructed to trim the panel to bare minimum.

Sources in the health department said a doctor from the health department stays with the CM round-the-clock and examines the CM when he goes to sleep and again in the morning.

As per reports, the chief minister’s office (CMO) asked the health department to send a panel of doctors immediately after Amarinder took over, but since among them were doctors who were attached with the former CM, a fresh panel was sought. A Patiala-based orthopaedician Dr Girish, who was being consulted by Capt Amarinder when he was out of power, is expected to make to the new panel.