Himachal government announces separation of health services, medical college cadres

The Himachal Pradesh government has announced the separation of cadres of the Directorate of Medical Education (DME) and the Directorate of Health Services (DHS) to further strengthen the healthcare system in the state.

According to a spokesperson of the Health Department, employees across various categories, including nursing and paramedical staff, ministerial staff, radiographers, operation theatre assistants and drivers were given the option to choose their preferred cadre and 74.44 per cent of them opted for DHS.

In a statement issued on Sunday, the spokesperson said 14,573 employees have chosen DHS, while 5,002 have opted for DME.

To address staff shortages, the government will now conduct recruitments separately for directorates, ensuring balanced staffing and improved healthcare services, the statement said.

The spokesperson said the strategic decision aligns with the government's ongoing efforts to enhance healthcare services across the state. "Under the leadership of Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, several initiatives have been undertaken over the last two years to upgrade healthcare infrastructure. In the coming months, outdated medical equipment in health institutions will be replaced with advanced ones to further improve medical facilities," he said.

He added that the state government remains committed to strengthening healthcare services and will continue to implement necessary reforms to ensure accessible and high-quality medical care for people of the state.