Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 21: In a Public Interest Litigation highlighting shortage of doctors in rural areas, Division Bench of the State High Court comprising Chief Justice Gita Mittal and Justice Rajesh Bindal has directed the Chief Secretary, Health Secretary and Secretary Public Service Commission to file status report mentioning the steps taken for filling up of vacant posts. The Division Bench further directed that the status report shall include the details with regard to the posts of Consultants and Dental Surgeons.
When the PIL filed by RTI activist Balwinder Singh came up for hearing, Advocate Sheikh Shakeel Ahmed appearing for the petitioner invited the attention of the Division Bench to the reply filed by the State Government through Senior AAG H A Siddiqui supported with the affidavit of Dr Chander Prakash, Deputy Director Health Services (HQ), Jammu wherein it was highlighted that there are 1328 sanctioned posts of Medical Officers in Jammu Division as on August 2018 and only 697 Medical Officers are working in Health Department whereas rest of the Doctors are on deputation to GMC Jammu undergoing post graduation courses and few posts are kept for deputation to NRHM, Police Department, WHO, CGHS and JK Medical Supplies Corporation.
Advocate Ahmed further submitted, “there is no whisper about 484 posts of Consultants in Jammu Division and the reply is further silent with regard to the non-filling up of 394 posts of Consultants which out of 484 posts are lying vacant”, adding “reply is also silent with regard to the vacant slots of Dental Surgeons and further there is no reference of the stand of the State Government with regard to the prayer made in the PIL for closing the evening clinics in Jammu/Srinagar cites which are just the rehabilitation centres for accommodating the influential Doctors who are kith and kin of the VVIPs”.
Expressing concern over shortage of doctors, the DB directed the Chief Secretary, Commissioner/Secretary to Government Health and Medical Education Department, Director Health Services Jammu and Secretary J&K PSC to file a status report before the next date of hearing regarding the steps taken to fill up the vacancies and the expected date by which the vacancies shall be filled up.
Follow our WhatsApp channel
