The shortage of doctors in the state health services of Uttarakhand is a well known fact, however what is more disturbing is minuscule presence of specialist doctors in health services of state. The situation is so pathetic that the state health services do not have a single specialist of cardiology in the entire state.  The state health department has only 393 specialist doctors in its ranks out of sanctioned posts of 1234. The acute shortage of these doctors has resulted in failure of the state government’s plans to provide services of specialist doctors in all the districts and some bigger Community Health Centres (CHC). The lack of interest of the doctors having specialisations in different branches of medical science in joining the state health services can be understood from the fact that there is not even a single cardiologist in its ranks. The department data however shows that it has two cardiologists out of sanctioned posts of 42 but it is learnt that the diploma in cardiology these doctors have is now not recognised.

The deployment of these specialist doctors is also uneven. Uttarkashi, the biggest district of the state in terms of the area do not have even a single Physician or a dermatologist. Similarly residents of Udham Singh Nagar, Champawat, Chamoli and Tehri districts have to move out of their respective district to get them treated from a Physician. 

Mountainous districts like Pauri, Tehri, Bageshwar, Uttarkashi and Chamoli are more affected by the shortage of Doctors. There are no Orthopaedic Surgeons in Tehri and Bageshwar districts  and there is not even a single ENT surgeon in Tehri, Chamoli and Bageshwar districts.

Pauri which is the home district of chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat who also holds the health portfolio is one of the worst suffer from the shortage of specialist doctors.

This district which is also home of political stalwarts like chief minister of Uttar Pradesh Yogi Adityanath, former Chief Minister Major General (Rtd.) Bhuwan Chandra Khanduri and cabinet minister Ramesh Pokhriyal “Nishank” has a staggering 99 vacant posts of specialists. This important district has 138 sanctioned posts against which only 39 are deployed.

The total lack of interest of the specialist doctors in serving the state health services is attributed to factors like fear of transfer and lucrative offers from the private hospitals.

When contacted, the Director General (DG) of state health services, Dr Ravindra Thapliyal accepted that the state health services face severe shortage of specialist doctors. He however added that the department has made optimum use of specialists available and every possible effort is made to strengthen the district hospitals. On new recruitment, the DG said that walk in interviews are being held every Wednesday at health directorate for those interested to work in health services of Uttarakhand.