As many as 1,009 posts are lying vacant against 1,201 sanctioned posts of medical experts while all 163 posts of Block Medical Officers (BMOs) are also lying vacant in the State said Health Minister Amar Agrawal in Chhattisgarh Assembly on Monday.
Replying to a question raised by Congress member Brihaspati Singh, Agrawal said that only 192 medical experts are working against the sanctioned posts. All 163 posts of BMO and 27 posts of Chief Medical and Health Officers (CMHOs) are lying vacant in the State.
There are 3,257 sanctioned posts of staff nurse out of which 2,011 are filled and 1,246 are vacant. Similarly out of 6,105 sanctioned posts of ANMs, 566 are vacant and out of 1,197 sanctioned posts of pharmacists, 212 are vacant, said Agrawal.
Replying to the question, the Minister said that the dearth of doctors in the State is due to previous Governments. The State had only one medical college for long time and this resulted in shortage of doctors. The Government is focusing on opening more medical and nursing colleges in the State to meet the requirement of doctors.
He said that it is a matter of serious concern and the Government is desperately trying to rope in doctors through placement agencies and campus interviews. Agrawal said that the recruitment of class 2 and 4 employees is a regular process but for appointment of doctors, the process is carried out at every three months.
Congress member Brihaspati Singh raised the issue of shortage of doctors in Balrampur district and asked the Minister about any deadline to meet the shortage of doctors. “We are offering high salary packages and this is applicable for Balrampur also. But unfortunately we are not getting doctors,” said Agrawal.
The Government has made changes in the Chhattisgarh Medical Recruitment Rules for remote area and offering double salary. The Government will frame new policies to provide health services in remote areas, he said.