State healthcare in dire straits

Arteev Sharma

Tribune News Service

Jammu, March 26

The Health Department seems to be working on crutches as 1,451 posts of doctor and 5,885 posts of paramedical and other staff remain vacant in government hospitals across the state.

As many as 10 districts of Jammu are worst-affected vis-à-vis availability of doctors for patients as more than 50 per cent posts of doctor remain vacant in government hospitals while 50 primary health centres (PHCs) don’t have ambulance facility for hospitals.

This information was provided by the Health and Medical Education Department in response to a question by NC legislator Shehnaz Ganai in the Legislative Council here.

“Out of the total 3,926 sanctioned posts of doctor (1,604 in Jammu region and 2,322 in Kashmir region, including 316 posts in Ladakh), there are 1,451 posts, including 825 in Jammu and 626 in Kashmir, lying vacant,” the department said.

These posts of doctor include vacancies of senior consultants, consultants, medical officers and dental surgeons.

It added, “There are 7,899 sanctioned posts of paramedical and other staff in Jammu, 18,107 in Kashmir and 1,245 in Ladakh region. Out of these posts, 2,386 posts of paramedical and other staff are vacant in Jammu, 3,025 posts in Kashmir and 474 in two districts, Kargil and Leh of Ladakh region.”

Besides two government medical colleges, maternity and children hospitals in two capitals, Jammu and Srinagar, of the state, there are 22 district hospitals (one each in 22 districts of the state), 82 Community Health Centres (CHC)—32 in Jammu, 44 in Kashmir and 6 Ladakh, 646 PHCs and 1428 sub-centres in J&K.

“The vacant posts of doctor and paramedical staff have been referred to the recruiting agencies concerned for selection of suitable candidates. As soon as the department receives the selection list of the candidates, the vacant posts will be filled up accordingly,” the department said.

It may be placed here that nearly 55 per cent of health institutions in the state were operating from rented accommodations.

A majority of the health institutions mostly sub-centres and primary health institutions in the rural areas lack basic infrastructure and medical equipment to provide first-aid to patients. The government claimed it had initiated various measures for shifting these institutions to government-owned buildings.