3,225 Posts Lying Vacant in Health and Medical Education department, J&K

3,225 Posts Lying Vacant in Health and Medical Education department, J&K

The Health and Medical Education department has 3,225 posts lying vacant, including 400 gazetted and 2,825 non-gazetted positions

The Health and Medical Education department has 3,225 posts lying vacant, including 400 gazetted and 2,825 non-gazetted positions.

As per official records, the rural healthcare sector has a shortage of nearly 46 per cent specialist doctors, including surgeons, physicians, pediatricians and gynecologists, in the Community Health Centres (CHCs).

Figures released by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare says that the state lacks 154 specialist doctors in Community Health centres in the rural areas against the sanctioned strength of 344 doctors. Only 190 doctors with different specialization are in position against the sanctioned strength.

The data also shows the total surgeon vacancies in the CHCs of the state are 41 against the sanctioned 89. Out of 61 sanctioned strength 17 posts of pediatricians lies vacant in rural health institutions.

Out of 107 posts of physicians, there are only 45 doctors in position, while the remaining 62 still lies vacant in the CHCs in rural areas.

As per the data, 87 posts of gynecologists sanctioned for the CHCs in rural areas against which 34 posts stand vacant.

Director Health Services, Kashmir, Dr Saleem- ur- Rehaman, said the department has referred the vacant posts to J&KPSC and JKSSB.

“We are well aware of the vacancies and we have referred the posts to JKPSC and JKSSB. The appointment of posts in health department will definitely take place,” he said.

Earlier, the government submitted in the State High Court—in a Public Interest Litigation—that 3604 posts of paramedics are lying vacant in J&K. Of these, 1623 vacancies are in Jammu division and 1262 in Kashmir, it was stated.

It was also acknowledged before the court that as many as 375 posts of Class IV employees are lying vacant in the health sector.

In addition to the posts in non-gazetted sector, the government, in June 2016 stated in State Assembly that 401 posts of doctors are vacant in J&K Health Services. Of these 122 vacancies were open in Health Services Kashmir, while in Health Services Jammu, 279 vacancies of doctors existed.

Simultaneously, 14 posts of lecturer are vacant in GMC Srinagar, as per information submitted by government in reply to a question in the State Assembly.

In January 2017, Minister of Health and Medical Education said 1653 posts of doctors are vacant in the Health department.

Recently the Annual Employment and Unemployment Survey Report, released by the Labour Bureau under Union Ministry of Labor and Employment, revealed that J&K was having the highest unemployment rate (10 per cent) in entire north India.

At present, the number of unemployed youths registered in various district employments and counselling centres is 6.01 lakh, as per the report.

Source : Kashmir Monitor