VIJAYAWADA: A total of 7,099 medical staff were transferred to new positions as part of the first phase of transfers under the Health, Medical and Family Welfare Department, which concluded on Friday.
Of these, around 5,200 employees were compulsorily transferred after completing five years of service in their existing posts, while another 1,899 were moved based on personal requests submitted by the employees. The State government is now preparing for the second phase of transfers, which will cover 9,650 Grade-3 Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs) working at the village level.
These transfers are scheduled to be completed by June 30, as they require coordination with the village and ward secretariat departments to ensure its smooth implementation.
Health Minister Y Satya Kumar Yadav expressed satisfaction over the transparent and dispute-free execution of the transfers of the employees. He appreciated the efforts of department officials and said the process was conducted strictly in accordance with established rules and guidelines, unlike previous years when transfer exercises were surrounded by controversy and allegations of irregularities.
The Minister highlighted that in past practices, transfer decisions were taken at district, zonal, and state levels with significant discretion, often leading to misuse of authority and a lack of accountability.
To address this issue, it has now been mandated that department heads will be directly responsible for all transfer-related decisions.
As part of administrative reforms, the Health Minister directed the officials about the transfer of junior and senior assistants, accounts officers, and office superintendents who have been working in one location for more than three years.
Senior officials who had been holding key positions for prolonged periods and were under a cloud of allegations were also transferred.
While 840 exemptions were granted—primarily to couples working in government service and recognised employee union representatives—the Minister has demanded detailed justifications for each exemption.
The first phase also included the transfer of 379 staff members, including 60 professors.