The health centres located in remote and mountainous parts of the State reeling under acute shortage of doctors would soon start getting the services of dental doctors. Contrary to the expectation more than 4,500 dental doctors have applied for 203 posts advertised by the Uttarakhand Medical Services Recruitment Board (UMSRB) recently. In view of large number of applicants, the UMSRB has decided to conduct a written examination on January 22, 2017. The Chairman of the UMSRB, Dr I S Pal told The Pioneer that the written examination would be held in some centres of Dehradun. He said that the process of sending the admission cards for the examination has started.
It is pertinent to mention here that out of total 2,711 posts of doctors in 993 Government health centres of state health services, as much as 1,615 posts are vacant. All efforts of the State Government like providing the benefit of Dynamic Assured Career Progression (DACP), incentive of 20 per cent extra incentive to the doctors discharging duties in mountainous areas, practice of entering into a bond with new MBBS and PG pass outs have failed to yield any result. The situation is particularly bad in the mountainous districts. For example Pauri which is home district of State Health Minister Surendra Singh Negi, 244 posts out of total 369 sanctioned posts of doctors are lying vacant. Finding a way out the State Government recently decided to recruit large number of dental doctors and appoint them in the remote health centres to provide some relief to the people there. These Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) doctors would be appointed in 53 positions in dental cadre and 150 of Provincial Medical Health Services (allopathic doctors) cadre of the State health services. The services of these doctors would be permanent in nature and would be governed by the state dental service rules and regulation. Apart from treating dental disorders these doctors would also treat people suffering from common diseases.