*Shortage of 1757 doctors, 3239 paramedics in distts
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Feb 21: Notwithstanding demand for opening of more medical colleges and health institutions in Jammu and Kashmir, both the existing Government Medical Colleges and their Associated Hospitals are on crutches due to acute shortage of faculty members and para-medical staff. Even health institutions in districts are in the state of paralysis because of huge number of posts lying vacant during the past quite long time.
The prevailing situation can be gauged from the fact that a total of 1504 posts of faculty, Gazetted Officers, para-medical and other staff are lying vacant in Government Medical College Jammu while as 899 such posts are vacant in Government Medical College Srinagar.
Against 358 sanctioned posts of faculty in GMC Jammu, 155 are presently lying vacant while as 103 out of 450 sanctioned posts of other Gazetted Officers are vacant in this premier health institution, which is catering huge population of Jammu region. Likewise, 450 posts of paramedical and 164 posts of other staff members are lying vacant.
In Government Medical College Srinagar, against 519 sanctioned posts of faculty, 278 are lying vacant thereby depriving people of timely medicare. Similarly, 140 posts of other Gazetted Officers and 481 posts of para-medical staff are mocking at the Government’s tall claims about paying required attention towards strengthening of Medical Colleges.
The situation vis-à-vis ventilators, which are considered as back-bone of the intensive care units and are oftenly required, is also miserable as in Government Medical College Jammu five ventilators are under repair and 17 have either outlived their utility or are beyond economic repair. Likewise, in SMGS Hospital, the only ventilator is presently non-functional.
As far as Associated Hospitals of GMC Srinagar are concerned, 6 ventilators are non-functional in SMHS Hospital and four in Lalla Ded Hospital.
Contrary to the fact that GMCs and Associated Hospitals are virtually on the crutches, the Minister for Medical Education, in a written reply to the question of Prof Chaman Lal Gupta, today said, “the department is leaving no stone unturned in providing the health care delivery system to the masses living in length and breadth of the State”, adding “the diagnostic facilities are being improved with the installation of latest machinery like CT Scans, ventilators etc”.
What to talk of GMCs and Associated Hospitals even the health institutions in the districts have been rendered paralytic by the Government with huge vacancies of doctors and para-medical staff.
In Jammu division, against sanctioned strength of 1850 doctors, 866 posts are lying vacant while as 1485 posts of para-medical against sanctioned strength of 5602 have not been filled during the past quite long time.
Of 866 posts of doctors, maximum number of 410 are vacant in Jammu district followed by 246 in Kathua district and 227 in Rajouri district. Among the other districts, 201 posts are vacant in Doda, 88 in Kishtwar, 194 in Poonch, 110 in Ramban, 93 in Reasi, 111 in Samba and 170 in Udhampur.
Similarly, in Kashmir Division, 854 posts out of 2256 sanctioned posts of doctors and 1754 out of 9646 sanctioned posts of para-medical staff are lying vacant. Of 854 posts, 46 out of 77 sanctioned posts of Gynae doctors, 35 out of 55 sanctioned posts of Paediatricians, 36 out of 80 sanctioned posts of Anaeasthesia, 152 out of 266 sanctioned posts of other specialists, 556 out of sanctioned 1471 posts of MBBS doctors, 29 out of 307 sanctioned posts of Dental Surgeons are vacant.
In respect of Indian Systems of Medicine, 37 out of 618 sanctioned posts of Medical Officers and 82 out of 579 sanctioned posts of Para-Medical Staff are lying vacant.
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