Srinagar, Mar 19: Minister for Health and Medical Education, Social Welfare and Education, Sakeena Itoo on Wednesday informed the Assembly that efforts are underway to address the shortage of medical and paramedical staff in the Primary Health Centers (PHCs) and Sub-Centers of Vijaypur constituency.
The statement came in response to a question raised by MLA Chander Prakash Ganga, who sought details on the availability of medical and paramedical staff in the region and the steps being taken to fill vacant positions.
Responding to the query, the minister said, “The government is actively working to ensure that all sanctioned posts are filled in a timely manner.”
She provided details on the current staffing levels, highlighting that out of 17 sanctioned posts for doctors across various PHCs and Sub-Centers in Vijaypur, 16 positions have been filled, leaving just one vacancy at NTPHC Sangwal.
“The department is committed to strengthening healthcare services in the region. The lone doctor vacancy at NTPHC Sangwal will be addressed through the ongoing recruitment process,” Itoo stated.
In addition to doctors, the minister said that 40 paramedical staff have been deployed at these health centers, ensuring that essential medical and support services remain uninterrupted. Furthermore, 36 additional medical and paramedical personnel have been assigned to these institutions under the National Health Mission (NHM).
“To further bolster the workforce, the selection process for 181 Medical Officer posts is currently being conducted by the Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission (JKPSC). Once the selections are finalized, newly appointed doctors will be assigned to healthcare centers facing acute staff shortages,” she added.
Itoo also mentioned that a waitlist of 91 selected Medical Officers is being processed to address staffing shortfalls in underserved areas across Jammu and Kashmir.
The government has also referred 292 non-gazetted and paramedical vacancies from the Directorate of Family Welfare, Maternity and Child Health (MCH), and 290 similar vacancies from the Directorate of Health Services, Jammu, to the Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board (JKSSB) for recruitment. This move aims to enhance medical services in underserved areas of the region.
“With the ongoing recruitment processes and targeted deployments, we are confident of addressing the existing gaps in medical services across Vijaypur and other regions,” the minister said.
