Srinagar, Feb 20: As many as 253 consultant posts are lying vacant across peripheral hospitals in the Kashmir division, taking the total number of unfilled doctor positions to 802, the government informed the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly.
In a written reply to a question by legislator Ranbir Singh Pathania, the Health and Medical Education (H&ME) Department said the vacancies include 24 senior consultants, 253 consultants, 458 medical officers and 67 dental surgeons. The department, however, maintained that it is “not facing an acute shortage of specialists”.
According to the reply, while 480 posts of medical officers have been referred to the Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission for recruitment, consultant posts are yet to be sent for selection, leaving a major gap in specialist services at district and sub-district levels.
“The available manpower is being deployed rationally across health institutions based on requirement,” the government said, adding that newly appointed doctors will be posted in underserved and far-flung areas facing staff shortages.
In a separate response to a question by legislator Shamim Firdous, the H&ME Department said it recognises the need for timely posting of medical and paramedical staff and is working to improve accessibility and strengthen healthcare infrastructure across the Union Territory.
The government also informed the House that several paramedical vacancies are being processed for recruitment through the Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board. These include 292 non-gazetted posts under the Directorate of Family Welfare, MCH and Immunization and 290 posts under the Directorate of Health Services, Jammu. In addition, 608 posts from the Directorate of Health Services, Jammu are in the process of referral after financial concurrence.
Further, the government said 802 non-gazetted posts, including multi-tasking staff and sanitation workers in the Kashmir division, are also being prepared for referral to the recruitment board.
The House was told that the establishment of seven new government medical colleges in Jammu and Kashmir has significantly reduced referrals to GMC Jammu and GMC Srinagar by catering to patient loads at the regional level. Consultants and medical officers posted at district hospitals, sub-district hospitals and primary health centres are also delivering services at the peripheral level, contributing to a reduction in referrals.
The department added that specialist manpower is also being rationalised and redeployed under the National Health Mission to address localised shortages.
