More than once, we have, in these columns, spoken about the woeful condition of the Health Department. There is no movement in official circles for responding to the ills of the Department. There is total apathy from top to bottom. However, if not the Government and the Health Department, at least the High Court has taken suo moto cognizance of the Daily Excelsior raising the issue of acute shortage of doctors and paramedical staff in the three regions of the State. In response to a notice by the High Court, the Secretary of Health Department has come with revelations that are alarming and mind-boggling about the condition of the Health Department. 1596 posts of doctors and 2885 posts of paramedical staff are lying vacant in numerous health institutions of the State and 137 doctors are on unauthorized absence since many years. We have also district-wise information about the vacancies in district hospitals and public healthcare centres. The figures are frightening. One is surprised how the Health Department has been putting a serious situation under cover and not exposing it to public gaze although it pertains to the public. On July 12, 2015, the Daily Excelsior said in a news item that no MBBS doctor was available in 15 PHCs of Udhampur in which 112 posts were lying vacant. This is confirmed by the status report submitted by the Health Secretary before the High Court. Many more revelations have been made.
The question is why such a large number of vacancies of doctors and paramedical staff have remained vacant when these are sanctioned by the Finance Department? Is it that we are not having sufficient number of qualified doctors to be appointed and posted to the hospitals? Is it that the doctors refuse to be posted to district hospitals and Public Healthcare Centres? Is it that the intake capacity of our Medical colleges is limited and we have shortage of doctors? The society would want to know the reason why we are suffering shortage of doctors and paramedical manpower? Apart from that we would like to know the reason why such a large number of vacancies of paramedical staff exist with the department? If qualified doctors are in shortage because of limited number of seats available in Medical Colleges, what is the problem in at least filling the vacancies of paramedical staff. The Minister for Health shall have to take up this question for thorough investigation and resolve it without loss of time. Why are many doctors on unauthorized leave since a long time and how does the department tolerate them to be kept on long leave leash. According to information available to us, a good number of qualified doctors have found lucrative job overseas especially in the Gulf countries and, as such, they have proceeded on long leave without salary or whatever and are minting money while retaining the lien of their post in the State Health Department. This is callousness on the part of these doctors and those in the Department who support them and protect their interests.
The Constitution of India states that citizens of India have a right to healthcare. As such the Governments are obliged to provide medical assistance to the citizens of India. In the light of this constitutional provision, vacancies of doctors and paramedical staff need to be filled as quickly as possible so that the health of the people is taken care of.
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