Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Sept 13: The dental surgeon community of Jammu and Kashmir today staged a peaceful protest outside the Government Dental College (GDC) Jammu as well as GDC Srinagar, drawing attention to what they described as 17 years of neglect by successive governments. The protesters alleged that during this period, no employment opportunities have been created for dental professionals in the Union Territory.
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In Jammu, hundreds of qualified dental surgeons, including many who have remained unemployed for over a decade, participated in the demonstration. They expressed dismay that despite the increasing oral health needs of the population, the Government has failed to create new posts, fill existing vacancies, or frame a clear policy to absorb skilled dental professionals.
The protesters recalled that the National Conference (NC), in its memorandum, had assured that employment avenues would be created for dental surgeons. However, they alleged that even after years, no concrete action has been taken on that promise, leaving thousands of professionals disappointed.
“For the last 17 years, our fraternity has been completely ignored. Thousands of highly qualified dental surgeons are sitting unemployed, while people in rural and urban areas are deprived of proper oral healthcare,” said representatives of the protesting surgeons.
In Srinagar, scores of doctors, many of whom are forced to practice privately in the absence of Government employment opportunities, assembled outside Government Dental College, carrying placards and raising slogans.
“We have come to protest to demand answers on why posts have not been advertised for the last 17 years. What is the reason” Seventeen years is quite a huge time,” said one of the protesting doctors. The protesting doctors said that the Government should wake up so that the posts are advertised and they also got settled.
The protestors demanded urgent intervention by the Government to create regular employment opportunities, fill long-pending vacant posts in hospitals and health centres and formulate a transparent recruitment policy.
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