VIJAYAWADA: Commissioner of Health and Family Welfare G Veerapandian has emphasised the need for reviewing the Human Resources (HR) Policy in the Medical and Health Department as per existing conditions. Speaking at a special workshop on the implementation of HR policies in the health sector in Vijayawada on Friday, Veerapandian said several challenges are being faced in implementing the existing HR guidelines. He pointed out that Covid-19 pandemic exposed severe shortages in human resources in healthcare system.
He noted that special cadres were created decades ago to tackle diseases such as leprosy, which was then a major public health concern. However, despite a significant decline in the disease burden, many of those cadres continue unchanged, highlighting the need for rationalisation of the current system, he observed.
The workshop was organised as part of a nationwide review initiated by the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on the implementation of HR policies in States and Union Territories.
The Centre is reviewing healthcare infrastructure, availability of doctors and paramedical staff, and staff shortages in seven States, including Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Goa.
The review exercise is being conducted with technical support from the World Bank.