Govt to fill 4,550 posts of doctors

The state cabinet has decided to add 4,550 doctors and paramedical staff to the community health centres, primary health centres, area and district hospital network. While the proposal, tabled before the chief minister, sought recruitment of 3,000 doctors, nurses and paramedics for enabling round the clock functioning at the state-run healthcare facilities, the approval by the cabinet has come for a higher number of posts to supplement the staff.

The additional workforce will be deputed at 156 health facilities including 120 community health centres, 30 area hospitals and the six district hospitals.With the clearance for these additional posts coming through, the total count of doctors and nurses will now be over 7,000, thus giving the mother and child health services, in the state, a much required boost.

Apart from a demand for filling up of nearly



2,000 posts for nurses and paramedical staff, lying vacant for 5 to 10 years, there was also a need to double the number of doctors manning the facilities. Of the total 4,550 approved posts, over 1,000 will be for gynaecologists, anaesthesiologists and paediatricians so as to beef up emergency services. The rest are for nurses and paramedics like lab technicians.

At present, district level hospitals have a huge load of maternal and child care cases with about 90 per cent of them being related to either gynaecology or paediatrics.“Majority of these centres operate with only two or three doctors. As a result, doctors cannot man them round-the-clock and doctors are not available during the night time. However, once the posts are filled, doctors will be available and ensure emergency services,“ said a senior official from the state health department.