Hospitals in J-K face acute shortage of doctors: Govt

Jammu and Kashmir government today said that various hospitals across the state were facing an acute shortage of doctors as their number was less than half of the total sanctioned strength.
"Against the sanctioned strength of 33 specialists, 12 are in position and against 33 sanctioned posts of medical officers, six are in position in District Hospital Poonch," Minister for Health Chowdhary Lal Singh said while replying to the question of Shah Mohammad Tantray about the availability of doctors at Poonch district.
At Community Health Centre Mandi, against the total sanctioned strength of five specialists only two are employed whereas against seven sanctioned posts of medical officers, five are employed there, he said.

The official said that eight doctors are also working in different institutions of the Indian Systems of Medicine department including Ayush Unit at District Hospital Poonch.
He said that against the total sanctioned vacancies of 70 doctors at the District Hospital in Poonch only 20 are employed whereas 50 positions are lying vacant.
"In Sub-District Hospital (SDH), 24 doctors are working against the sanctioned vacancies of 42, at Primary Health Centres only 11 doctors are working against the total sanctioned vacancies of 51," he said.

Apart from facing shortage of doctors, the hospitals in Poonch are also facing acute shortage of paramedical staff.

"At District Hospital Poonch, only 49 are employed against the total sanctioned vacancies of 100. In SDH, five vacancies are lying vacant. At PHCs, out of 81 sanctioned vacancies only 64 are employed," he said.
He said that the department is making every effort to overcome the deficiency of doctors and paramedics by engaging the staff under National Health Mission.
To a question by Shakti Raj Parihar regarding the vacancies of doctors in Doda district, the Minister said, "Against 50 sanctioned posts of specialists, 23 are in position and 27 posts are vacant. Similarly, against 156 posts of doctors, 46 are in position and 110 are vacant".

He said that 20 MBBS doctors and 40 ISM doctors are engaged on contractual basis under NHM to supplement the staff which is poster as per the sanctioned strength.
He said that 226 posts of consultants have already been referred to Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission.
"As and when the selection list is received, the vacant posts shall be filled up accordingly," he said.