Cabinet to form Capital's Health Service

Delhi is battling a shortage of doctors in its govt hospitals, and this health service will be a boon, reports Amitabh Shukla.

Battling a shortage of doctors in the government hospitals, the Delhi Cabinet on Monday decided to form its own Health Service.

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With the creation of its own Health Service, decks have been cleared for appointment of new doctors in the city hospitals and regularisation of those who have been working on an ad hoc basis for the last several years.

The initial constitution of the service will provide for appointment by transfer from Central Health Service and by transfer from amongst those who have been appointed by the Government of Delhi on contract basis on or before April 10, 2006.

The state government has 1174 sanctioned posts of General Duty Medical officers (GDMOs), 410 Non-Teaching Specialists, 349 Teaching Specialists and 4 Public Health Specialists. Even after making contract appointments against ex-cadre posts, the department is short of 238 GDMOs and 53 Non-Teaching Specialists.

“Uncertainty over the fate of the contract appointments and declining supply of manpower is adversely affecting the quality of health service,” the Cabinet note on the issue said. It said the newly opened hospitals do not have sufficient doctors to man the service resulting in patient dissatisfaction.

Officials in the Health Department said a specific cadre for Delhi would relieve the central government of the responsibility of servicing the requirements of the Delhi government. Presently, there are 24 government hospitals in the city while four are under construction.

Email: ashukla@hindustantimes.com