Fill 837 vacant posts of specialist doctors on priority: U’khand HC to govt

Nainital: In a series of directions to address the lack of medical services in many areas of the state, Uttarakhand high court (HC) on Monday ordered the state government to “make all out efforts to complete the selection process for filling up the vacant posts of specialist doctors within a period of six weeks from today.” While issuing the order, the division bench of justices Rajiv Sharma and Alok Singh remarked that it was a “startling revelation” that out of 1226 sanctioned posts of specialists, only 389 specialists are available. The judges thereafter asked the state government to “fill up the remaining 837 posts in three months after the selection process is complete.” The court gave these directions while reviewing an affidavit filed by the state government on steps taken to make a trauma centre at Bageshwar in Kumaon functional.

According to the affidavit filed by the state government, the trauma centre had been made functional with one surgeon, one orthopedic surgeon on rotation basis, one radiologist, one anesthetist as well as two emergency medical officers and other paramedical staff. Appreciating the “sincere efforts made by the state government for making the trauma centre functional,” the judges termed it a “sign of good governance.” The court also placed on record its appreciation for secretary (health), Uttarakhand and counsellor and petitioner DK Joshi and KN Joshi respectively for their “efforts in the case.”

On the issue of establishing a blood bank at district hospital, Bageshwar — for which the state government said in its affidavit that an approval certificate from the Drug Controller General of India has been received on December 8 — the judges directed that the blood bank should be made functional “within a period of two weeks from today.” The judges also ordered that “no specialist doctors be transferred from the Trauma Centre, Bageshwar by the state government without completing their tenure”.

A public interest litigation (PIL) had been filed in the HC in April last year by a citizen group, Nagrik Manch Bageshwar alleging that construction of the buildings for the trauma centre and blood bank had been completed by 2013 but the facility was lying unused. The court had thereafter ordered the state health department to ensure functioning of blood bank and trauma center within three months. Taking a stern stand, the court had remarked that in case of of non-compliance of the order, the health secretary will be suspended.