HYDERABAD: While the doctors from the Directorate of Medical Education have been sparring over the proposal of age-hike for teaching doctors, Directorate of Health doctors have put forward the pressing issue of lack of over 500 doctors in PHCs and CHCs, with very little scope for monetary and promotional benefits for the existing doctors.
Dr Lalu Prasad, general secretary of Telangana Government Doctors Association (Department of Public Health wing), said, “Last year, over 1,400 posts were sanctioned. However, only 900 posts have been filled. Out of these, more than 200 posts are filled with contract-based employees. The situation is even more grave as the scope for promotions and financial benefits for doctors in Public Health is almost negligible.”
He added, “Earlier, the Directorate of Health doctors had a chance to opt for promotions of Deputy Civil Surgeons and Civil Surgeons under the Telangana Vaidya Vidhana Parishad. However, it has become a watertight department, and now, there is no scope of promotions via TVVP as well.”
Dr G Srinivas Rao, Director of Public Health assured that the vacancies were not resulting in a dearth of doctors and subsequently affecting health services in PHCs and CHCs.
He said, “Last year we recruited 521 doctors. However, most of the vacancies have been filled by contract doctors. We have already sent a proposal to the government for permission to recruit more doctors regularly and the process is currently in the pipeline. But there is no dearth of doctors as the districts have been allowed to employ doctors on a contract-basis, wherever there is a shortage.”
He also added that a Medical Recruitment Board (MRB) is usually constituted to speed up the process. “Most of the technical and non-technical posts are recruited by the Public Service Commission. However, there are pending court cases related to the government departments, in turn, causing the snag. Therefore, the government plans to constitute an MRB and the recruitment will be pushed through the pipeline in another couple of months.”