NEW DELHI: The Health and Family Welfare Department of the Delhi government has directed the recruitment of over 1,400 nurses and paramedical staff on an outsourced basis for its public hospitals, sparking controversy over alleged violations of the Model Code of Conduct.
The order, issued on Thursday, mandates the recruitment of 701 nursing and 762 paramedical staff through outsourcing, utilising third party agencies. It comes at a time when the MCC is in force in the city, prohibiting government departments from floating new tenders or awarding work orders without prior approval from the election authority.
“...the MS/MD/HOD of the departments ic. Hospitals/Medical Institutions are directed to fill the vacant posts of Nursing and Paramedical Staff through. outsourced basis from any Central/State PSUs such as ICSIL, NICSI, BECIL, HLL etc. by limited tender,” the order copy accessed by this newspaper read. However, officials from the Chief Electoral Office, Delhi flagged the move as a potential breach, citing the absence of any representation from the screening body before the order was passed.
The All India Government Nurses Federation (AIGNF) has strongly opposed the decision, criticising the government’s preference for outsourcing critical healthcare positions. Anita Panwar, President of AIGNF, called the practice “dubious” and said, “The government’s decision to outsource nursing roles undermines the quality of healthcare and creates instability in the workforce. Outsourcing lower-level positions disrupts the feeder cadre necessary for promoting skilled staff to higher posts, which is vital for the smooth functioning of hospitals.”