J&K doctors, paramedics told to report to original place of posting

In a major move, the Jammu and Kashmir government cancelled the attachments of doctors and paramedics and have asked them to report to their original place of posting

In a major move, the Jammu and Kashmir government cancelled the attachments of doctors and paramedical staff and have asked them to report to their original place of posting.

In J&K, hundreds of doctors and paramedics , who were originally posted in far-flung areas, have been attached to the district headquarters or offices in the city, while the hospitals these doctors were originally posted have vacant positions. Officials said the majority of these doctors do not want to serve in far-flung areas and have been attached to hospitals in cities and towns. (Representatives Image/HT File)

“To ensure better health care facilities to the general people and to restore health care facilities in rural areas, all attachments of doctors and paramedics made by heads of departments, including chief medical officers, assistant divisional medical officers and block medical officers or any other officer at their own level from time-to-time, are cancelled with immediate effect and they shall report back to their original place of postings,” reads the order issued by principal secretary (health and medical education) Manoj Kumar Dwivedi.

In J&K, hundreds of doctors, who were originally posted in far-flung areas, have been attached to the district headquarters or offices in the city, while the hospitals these doctors were originally posted have vacant positions. Officials said the majority of these doctors do not want to serve in far-flung areas and have been attached to hospitals in cities and towns.

“Service before self is the call of time. All of us have personal and family issues, but when we refuse to work where our services are required we make institutions and the public suffer, especially in the periphery and remote areas. Any non-compliance will invite action,” tweeted Dwivedi.

A senior officer in the medical education and health department said that there was a large chunk of doctors, especially from influential families in Kashmir and Jammu, who were attached to far off hospitals or health centres. “This order will force them to go to their original places of postings. At many places, people suffer because doctors do not want to go there and want to serve in towns or cities. This order will streamline things,” the officer said.