Crippled by unabated posting industry continuing in Jharkhand over the years, health services in the State might expect better days soon.
With the order released by the Chief Secretary’s office on the directive of Chief Minister Raghubar Das all the medical staff — doctors, compounders, nurses, ANMs etc — serving presently on deputation have started packing their bags. The menace has been so that the Heath Department has no idea about exact number of such medical staffs serving on deputation basis at the places other than their original ones. The problem led the Government to issue an open advertisement in newspapers from the Chief Secretary’s office so that all and sundry can be informed at one go.
“It was not possible to track the doctors and other staffs and issue letters to all of them separately. Thus it was decided to issue a public notice and inform all of them about the decision. All medical related staffs serving on deputation have to report to their headquarters,” said a senior official of the Health Department.
The Government in its order has given time till January 5 to all such medical staffs to report back. It is aimed that there are several pockets particularly in rural areas in the State where medical facilities have gone for a toss in the want of doctors and para-medical staffs while many have applied their ‘approach’ to get deputed in towns and cities.
“It has been made clear that deputation of all such medical staffs would automatically come to an end from January 2. As the orders for deputing doctors and medical staffs have been taken at various districts and on different occasions it is very difficult to find out the exact number. Anyway the order is loud and clear to all such staffs,” said Sumant Mishra, Director Health Services.
However Civil Surgeon offices are awaiting the order officially. “We have not received any such order as of now. Whatever we know is from the newspaper advertisements only,” said a staff of Palamau Civil Surgeon office where about 10 medical officers and over 25 other staffs are working on deputation. Ranchi Civil Surgeon Gopal Srivastava said that about 100 medical staffs, including doctors are working on deputation in the district.
As far as its effect on health services is concerned opinion is divided. “It has two different sides. There have been several deputations where doctors and medical staffs have been sent to fill up vacancies and to fulfill local needs. However, there is no denying that there are many who have managed things and went on deputation as per their comfort,” said a former Director of Health Services.
By and large the perception is if applied in its letter and spirit and things do not return to what it has been so long in the State the order can be revolutionary for improving health services in rural parts of Jharkhand. “Whosoever gets posted at rural PHCs goes on deputation at SHCs and so on. Now rural area would be covered with the order provided thing does not start limping back again in similar fashion,” said a senior official of Health Directorate.