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30 % vacant posts ail state health department
Clinical staff vacancies will be filled on priority in three months, say officials. Govt should take the issue seriously and expedite hiring process, say activists
While Covid-19 (coronavirus) is spreading fast globally and India also facing a possible outbreak, the Maharashtra health department data reveals that its 30 per cent posts are vacant.
Recruitment of the medical and clerical staff takes place under four categories namely group A which includes specialised doctors, who head specific departments; group B includes non-MBBS doctors; group C includes nursing staff and lab technicians, while group D covers drivers and sweepers.
As per the data, there is 41 per cent vacancy in group A and 42.5 per cent vacancy in group B.
Rajesh Tope, state health minister, said, “These vacancies have been there since the previous government, but I have now directed the state health director and also the principal secretary to focus on filling these posts within three months.”
“We will first focus on recruiting clinical staff, including doctors and nurses. Within three months all clinical staff vacancies will be filled, while at least 75 per cent vacancy of clerical staff will be filled in the next three months and eventually more people will be hired,” said Tope.
Tope said that a high-level committee will be formed to hire doctors for group A and group B category. He said, “Collectors and state health directors have been empowered to conduct walk-in interviews to fill in posts in group C and D.”
“I ensure that finance would not be an issue to recruit doctors and the state will give first priority to health,” he added.
Dr Archana Patil, director, state health department, said, “A government resolution has been issued in this matter and responsibility for hiring has been fixed. At least two to three lakh applications come in for the groups C and D posts which need to be scrutinised and then applications have to be invited for the interview.”
Dr Abhijit More, a health activist, said, “Almost 17,000 posts are vacant in the health department and so the government should take the issue seriously and fill up the vacancies.”
“Especially during emergency situation when coronavirus scare is at the doorstep, the pressure adds on the department. The government should expedite the hiring process,” said More.
