Public anger mounts as docs skip postings

The reluctance of medical specialists to join their assigned posts in government civil hospitals has snowballed into a public outcry across Himachal Pradesh. Despite repeated posting orders from the Health and Family Welfare Department, many appointees are refusing to take charge, leaving crucial hospitals understaffed and patients in distress.

On September 18, the department issued fresh posting orders for 115 medical specialists who had completed their post-graduation (PG) while serving as medical officers in government institutions. Alongside, an additional 78 specialists were appointed as “Job Trainees” for one year on a stop-gap basis with a starting remuneration of Rs 33,660, excluding National Health Mission (NHM) funds. These job trainees had completed their PG studies directly after MBBS from Indira Gandhi Medical College Shimla and Dr Rajendra Prasad Medical College, Tanda.

Inquiries reveal the state had categorised the two batches separately — experienced government doctors upgraded after PG and fresh graduates absorbed as trainees. However, both groups have shown little enthusiasm in actually reporting to their designated hospitals.

Nurpur’s 200-bed civil hospital is the latest example of this failure. Although a dermatologist and pathologist were recently posted here after completing their PG in Tanda, the local population remains skeptical. Residents recall how earlier appointments of a radiologist and paediatrician in April never translated into actual postings, as the specialists never reported for duty. This has left critical departments non-functional. Without a paediatrician, for instance, deliveries are being carried out without proper neonatal care, endangering both mothers and newborns.

The hospital caters to the specialty health needs of the lower Kangra belt — covering Nurpur, Jawali, Indora and Fatehpur constituencies — as well as Bhatiyat in neighbouring Chamba district. The absence of key specialists has turned posting orders into a public mockery, eroding faith in the state’s health administration.

The simmering resentment has been amplified by the Himachal Pradesh Medical Officers’ Association. At a special meeting, district unit president Dr Uday Singh and general secretary Dr Ankush Badiyala condemned the “Job Trainee” designation. They argued that medical graduates already undergo a one-year rotatory internship during MBBS and should not be subjected to another probationary tag. The association has demanded immediate withdrawal of the policy, calling it exploitative and detrimental to retaining talent in government service.

As discontent spreads among both the public and medical fraternity, the state government faces a dual challenge: ensuring doctors honour their postings and restoring credibility in a system where healthcare delivery has been crippled by unfilled specialist positions.