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Staff Shortage Hits J&K Health Dept

  • Mansoor Peer
  • Comments 0
  • 05 May 2026

Govt fails to frame replacement policy; seniority norms ignored Administrative gaps widen as vacancies pile up

Srinagar, May 05: Delays in timely appointments have left several crucial positions vacant in the Jammu and Kashmir Health and Medical Education Department, taking a serious toll on governance and patient care across the Union Territory.

 

Key posts, including Deputy Directors, Chief Medical Officers (CMOs), Block Medical Officers (BMOs), Medical Officers, and other critical administrative positions, remain unfilled, resulting in significant administrative gaps and inefficiencies.

 

Senior officials within the department revealed that in several districts, instead of appointing full-time CMOs, additional charges have been assigned to already burdened officers, affecting both administrative functioning and healthcare delivery.

 

Even dental surgeons are being given administrative responsibilities, a move that is adversely impacting patient care despite the availability of qualified medical professionals within the department.

 

“Many doctors retired recently and still there are no replacements. The government is fully aware of impending retirements, and replacements should be planned in advance. However, this is not happening, leading to serious operational challenges,” an official said.

 

The department has also failed to establish a clear replacement policy. Sources indicate that seniority norms are being overlooked, with junior doctors sometimes holding in-charge positions such as stores at the divisional level heading CMOs and BMOs who are far more experienced.

 

“A large number of junior doctors have been promoted while senior officials have been sidelined. In many cases, seniors are reporting to juniors,” officials said.

 

A retired officer of the Directorate of Health Services Kashmir said, “This is happening across the system. There are still many shortcomings, but no one is willing to speak the bitter truth.”

Officials further said that last-minute arrangements often result in doctors being assigned multiple charges, leading to overburdening and inefficiency, ultimately affecting the department’s long-term functioning.

 

Doctors are increasingly being given in-charge responsibilities without adequate administrative experience, further compounding the challenges within the healthcare system.

 

On the other side, across Jammu and Kashmir, hospitals including PHCs, Sub-District Hospitals, and District Hospitals are facing acute staff shortages as many paramedical employees who retired over the years have not been replaced due to stalled recruitment, severely impacting patient care.

 

A senior official from the Health and Medical Education Department acknowledged that several key positions remain vacant but added that the process to fill these posts is underway. Transfers and fresh appointments of administrative officers are expected soon, the official said.

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