Ludhiana, May 9 -- The civil hospital has been grappling with shortage of staff amid the increasing rush of patients in the facility, leaving both medics as well as patients at the receiving end, officials have said.

Medical officers say the allotment of manpower is based on the institution's old 100-bed structure despite the facility now functioning as a nearly 300-bed hospital. Officials said another 100 beds are expected to be added shortly under the Mother and Child Care expansion, while a 75-bed Critical Care Block is also set to become operational, taking the hospital's total capacity close to 500 beds soon.

"Staffing levels have not increased proportionately, putting additional pressure on the existing employees and affecting pat...