Irfan Tramboo
Srinagar, Apr 13: While several administrative posts are lying vacant in the Health Services in Jammu division, Kashmir does not seem to be any exception because here as well, several key administrative posts are lying vacant, or are facing adhocism, which is affecting the overall functioning of the department, apart from pointing to the callous attitude of the Health & Medical Education (H&ME) Department in streamlining the system.
As per details available with Excelsior, the post of Deputy Director (HQ) is vacant for the last nearly 6 years, since 2018. The post was left vacant soon after the former Director Dr Kunzes Dolma was elevated to Director Health Services Kashmir, who then retired in 2019.
Furthermore, two more posts of Assistant Directors are also lying vacant with the DHSK. One of the posts was left vacant after the retirement of Dr Manzoor Qadri in August last year-which was not filled and continues to be vacant-while the second post was left vacant after Dr Kounser Amin retired in February this year.
The details revealed that the post of Divisional Nutrition Officer is also lying vacant for the last nearly one year since March 2022 after the superannuation of Dr Bashir Ahmad Chalkoo, who, during his stint was already holding additional charge of several posts.
The posts of Chief Medical Officers (CMOs) are also facing the menace of adhocism, which in turn, is hampering and affecting the working of the Health Department in the district and in all cases, hampering the process of furthering the robustness of the healthcare set up in peripheries apart leading to disarray in the administrative matters.
The details in this regard further revealed that the post of CMO Ganderbal is lying vacant and is being run by the District Health Officer (DHO), Ganderbal Dr Afrooza Shah as additional charge while the post of CMO Budgam is also lying vacant since October last year, currently being run by Medical Superintendent, ASYM hospital Budgam as an additional charge. Concerning the post of CMO Anantnag, it is also lying pending and is currently being run by the Deputy CMO Dr M.Y.Zagoo as an additional charge.
The story does not only end there, the post of State Tuberculosis Officer (STO) is also lying vacant for a while now and is being currently run by Dr Adfar Yaseen DHO Budgam as an additional charge.
Furthermore, if the necessary appointments are not done well in time, the department is also going to have the post of Deputy Director, Schemes lying vacant next month as the concerned who is currently holding the charge is set to retire in May this year.
The Excelsior tried to reach Secretary, Health & Medical Education (H&ME) Department Bhupinder Kumar for his comments on the matter, however, he didn’t respond.
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