KOCHI: The government will create 1,800 doctor posts, including specialist positions, to strengthen government hospitals and improve their functioning, Health Minister K Muraleedharan said on Saturday.
The government will also fill 500 vacancies of nurses and pharmacists. A letter has been sent to the chief minister, who is in charge of the finance department, in this regard, he said.
He was inaugurating the construction of primary health centre buildings at Chottanikkara, Thottur and Koovappady as part of the government’s 100-day action programme.
The minister said all district hospitals would be made capable of functioning round the clock once adequate doctor services were available. The government was working to provide better facilities in public hospitals in response to the number of patients seeking treatment, he said.
He added that coordinated efforts by everyone, from doctors to cleaning staff, were essential to ensure their effective functioning.