Ludhiana, April 20 -- A shortage of specialist doctors at the civil hospital here has disrupted patient care, forcing authorities to depend on empanelled private practitioners and deputation-based arrangements to keep key departments functional.

Crucial units such as medicine, dermatology and cardiology are operating without regular full-time specialists.

"There is no regular cardiologist posted here. Even medicine and dermatology lack full-time specialists. These are core departments and should have at least one dedicated doctor each," said a senior doctor on condition of anonymity.

Senior medical officer Dr Akhil Sareen said the hospital is managing through temporary arrangements. "There is one sanctioned post in medicine, but the do...