550 vacancies of Medical Officers remain unfilled in J&K: Sakeena

Srinagar, Mar 18: The healthcare sector in Jammu and Kashmir is grappling with a severe shortage of Medical Officers, with 550 posts lying vacant across the region. The crisis has particularly impacted Baramulla district in north Kashmir, where 56 vacancies remain unfilled.
In response to a starred question by MLA Uri, Dr. Sajad Shafi in the Legislative Assembly about the number of vacancies of Medical officers in Jammu and Kashmir with particular reference to Baramulla and the steps being taken to fill up these vacancies in a time bound manner?
In reply, Health Minister Sakeena Itoo said that the health department is making significant and sustained efforts to address the ongoing issue of vacancies of Medical Officers, which presently stands at approximately around 550 posts.
“It is important to highlight that the selection process for 181 Medical Officer posts is still underway with the Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission (JKPSC). Once the selections are received, the appointed doctors will be assigned to health institutions experiencing severe staff shortages,” she said.
Health Minister further said that in addition to this, the department is also in the process of operating the waitlist for 91 selected Medical Officers. These selectees will be deployed to under-served areas across the Jammu and Kashmir, further strengthening healthcare delivery. where it is most needed, she added.
Regarding Baramulla district, the house was informed that Baramulla District is among the worst-hit areas, with several blocks struggling due to a lack of medical personnel. The most affected areas include Uri, Sheeri, and Kreeri, where a good number of sanctioned posts remain unfilled.
As per the data, the Uri block is facing the highest shortfall, with 13 out of 29 sanctioned posts lying vacant.Similarly, Sheeri block has only 24 doctors in place against the sanctioned 33, while Kreeri faces a gap of six medical officers, affecting service delivery in both primary and secondary healthcare centers.
Other affected blocks include Tangmarg and Boniyar, with six and seven vacancies, respectively. Meanwhile, Sopore, one of the largest blocks, has nearly filled all its positions, with only one vacancy out of 62 sanctioned posts. Pattan and DTC Sopore are among the few blocks that currently have no vacancies.
Minister further said that certain blocks such as Rohama, Dangiwacha, and Kunzer face moderate shortages.
“It is noteworthy that out of the 365 recently appointed Medical Officers, 39 have been posted to district Baramulla. This deployment aims to address the ongoing vacancies and enhance the healthcare infrastructure in the region,” she added.
The Minister also informed the house that to strengthen healthcare services in District Baramulla, additional 11 staff members from NHM and 71 from Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK), including doctors and paramedics, have been deployed to the district Baramulla.
“This additional manpower significantly bolsters the healthcare delivery capacity, ensuring more comprehensive coverage, particularly in underserved areas of Baramulla District,” she added.