DB directs CS, Health Secy, PSC to respond within 4 weeks

Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 10: Division Bench of the State High Court comprising Justice Tashi Rabstan and Justice Sanjay Gupta today directed Chief Secretary, Commissioner Secretary Health and Medical Education Department, Director Health Services Jammu and Secretary J&K Public Service Commission to file their response to the Public Interest Litigation (PIL) highlighting shortage of doctors and para-medical staff in the hospitals across Jammu province.
When the PIL filed by RTI activist Balwinder Singh came up for hearing, Advocate Sheikh Shakeel Ahmed with Advocate Suraj Singh appearing for the petitioner submitted that in Doda district the sanctioned strength of Doctors is 211 and the vacant slots are 147 and only 65 Doctors are in position and 01 is surplus.
In Kathua district, the sanctioned strength of Doctors is 257 and the vacant slots are 152 and only 108 Doctors are in position and 03 are surplus. In Kishtwar district, the sanctioned strength of Doctors is 94 and the vacant slots are 56 and only 41 Doctors are in position and 03 are surplus. In Poonch district, the sanctioned strength of Doctors is 205 and the vacant slots are 141 and only 64 Doctors are in position.
In Rajouri district, the sanctioned strength of Doctors is 248 and the vacant slots are 146 and only 102 Doctors are in position. In Ramban district, the sanctioned strength of Doctors is 118 and the vacant slots are 76 and only 43 Doctors are in position and 01 is surplus. In Reasi district, the sanctioned strength of Doctors is 101 and the vacant slots are 66 and only 37 Doctors are in position and 02 are surplus.
In Samba district, the sanctioned strength of Doctors is 118 and the vacant slots are 30 and only 103 Doctors are in position and 15 are surplus. In Udhampur district, the sanctioned strength of Doctors is 187 and the vacant slots are 108 and only 80 Doctors are in position and 01 is surplus. In Jammu district, the sanctioned strength of Doctors is 454 and the vacant slots are 100 and only 457 Doctors are in position and 103 are surplus.
Advocate Ahmed further submitted that as per RTI disclosure sanctioned strength of Doctors in Jammu Province is 1993 and only 1100 Doctors are in position, whereas 1022 posts are lying vacant while 129 Doctors are surplus and mostly the surplus Doctors are serving in Jammu district.
“The State Government has miserably failed in its constitutional commitment to provide health care and diagnostic facilities at door step to the people belonging to the far flung areas”, he submitted, adding “most of the Consultants in the discipline of Gynae, Anesthesia, Orthopedics, Radiology, Pediatrician and Pathologist refrain from serving in the far flung areas and have established their lucrative private practice in Jammu city and most of the Medical Officers/Consultants prefer to serve in the health institutions in Jammu district which is evident from the fact that 103 Doctors are surplus in Jammu district and are allowed to serve beyond the sanctioned strength”.
It was further submitted that these Doctors being politically connected are never sent outside Jammu district and undue favour has paralyzed the entire functioning of the Health Department.
“For accommodating kith and kin of politicians/ bureaucrats/ high-ups the Government has opened evening clinics in both the capital cities of Jammu and Srinagar where influential Doctors are posted and these Doctors rotate from one evening clinic to another just to avoid serving in the rural areas”, the petitioner submitted.
After considering the submissions of Advocate Ahmed, the Division Bench issued notices to Chief Secretary, Commissioner Secretary Health and Medical Education Department, Director Health Services Jammu and Secretary J&K Public Service Commission to file their response within four weeks.

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