Chandigarh, Former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Thursday expressed concern over the state's poor health system.

He said the BJP-JJP government in the state "neither seems serious about the present condition of health services nor is it worried about the future."

"The government's callous attitude towards healthcare is the reason why they are neither recruiting medical staff at present nor there is a policy to meet the shortage of doctors in the future. This is the reason why the government has imposed a bond policy of seven years and Rs 40 lakh on the students doing MBBS from Haryana," he said.

"Merit topper students do not want to do MBBS from Haryana. Students have been protesting and fasting for a month against this policy, but the government is adamant and refuses to be reasonable. The government should find a solution to this issue immediately after talking to the students as both students, their parents and patients are facing huge problems due to this. The government should reduce the amount and tenure of the bonds. Along with this, students should be given job guarantee like other states," the Leader of Opposition said.

Hooda said health services is an issue directly related to the lives of the citizens, but today the hospitals themselves have become patients due to the neglect of the government.

"More than 6,600 posts are lying vacant in hospitals and this has completely derailed health services. There is an acute shortage of specialist doctors, lab technicians, pharmacists, radiographers and machines in government hospitals," he added.

Hooda said 1,82,000 posts are lying vacant in different departments, including the health department.

"Instead of filling the vacant posts, the government is abolishing the posts without recruitment. Temporary recruitment is being done on the remaining posts through Skill Corporation," he added.