BHUBANESWAR: Faced with criticism for poor healthcare services due to shortage of doctors, the State government has planned to go for a massive recruitment drive this year. At a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Tuesday, it was decided to appoint 2,452 doctors, 82 dental surgeons, 94 assistant professors and three tutors besides 156 Ayurvedic medical officers, 40 Ayurvedic lecturers, 184 Homeopathic medical officers and 50 Homeopathic lecturers.
The government has also taken a decision to recruit 38 food safety officers, 6,432 nursing officers, 600 pharmacists, 200 radiographers, 878 AYUSH assistants and 227 vital statistics clerks. Sources said, of the total strength of 5,683 junior doctors, 3,217 are now in position. The number of dental surgeons in service is 350 against the sanctioned strength of 437.
“The OPSC has been asked to start the recruitment process. This will be the biggest recruitment drive to boost healthcare sector in the State,” said a senior health official.The government has also decided to expedite appointment filling up faculty positions in the medical colleges. Of the total 1,817 sanctioned posts, 202 including 35 professors, 49 associate professors, 21 assistant professors, three tutors, 53 senior residents and 41 junior residents, are lying vacant.
While the posts of professor and associate professor are being filled up through Departmental Promotion Committee (DPC), OPSC has already issued advertisement for the recruitment of assistant professors in super speciality and dentistry disciplines. “The requisition to fill up the rest vacancy positions of assistant professors will be submitted to OPSC soon,” the official said.
Of the total vacancy of 8,500 nursing officers, Odisha Sub-ordinate Staff Selection Commission (OSSSC) has begun the process for recruitment of 6,432 nurses along with 600 pharmacists and 200 radiographers.
Meanwhile, the government has decided to regularise 2,554 multipurpose health workers (female) and 567 multipurpose health workers (male), who are working under different schemes. The State has 2,566 posts of MPHW (f) and 1,742 posts of MPHW (m) vacant.