SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Health and Medical Education Department has said that steps are being taken to address the shortage of doctors and paramedical staff in the remote Karnah area of Kupwara district, while maintaining that no NHM employee from Karnah or Tangdar has been deployed outside the district.
The response was issued in connection with a starred question raised by Karnah MLA Javaid Ahmad Mirchal regarding shortages of medical and paramedical staff and basic infrastructure at health institutions in the area.
According to the department, doctors and paramedical staff are presently available at several health institutions, including PHC Chiterkote, PHC Teetwal, PHC Panzgam and PHC Nachiyan. It said doctors from the AYUSH side have also been posted at PHC Chiterkote.
The department further stated that 480 posts of Medical Officers (Allopathic) had been referred to the Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission (JKPSC), against which 416 candidates were recommended and 335 Medical Officers have so far been appointed.
It said the newly appointed doctors would be posted appropriately, with priority being given to peripheral, underserved, remote and difficult areas, including areas falling along the Line of Actual Control.
The department also said that 73 personnel are currently working under the National Health Mission (NHM) in Karnah, while 466 non-gazetted posts under the Directorate of Health Services, Kashmir, have been referred to the recruiting agency for selection of suitable candidates.
On allegations that NHM employees from Karnah/Tangdar were being attached or deployed elsewhere, the department said no such staff member was presently attached, deployed or posted outside their place of duty anywhere in Kupwara district.
It added that the deployment of regular staff was being examined to ensure equitable distribution of available manpower and minimise shortages at peripheral and difficult-area health institutions.
The department said it was also taking measures to strengthen healthcare services in Karnah through rational deployment of available manpower, recruitment against sanctioned vacancies and augmentation of human resources under approved NHM programmes.
It maintained that no specific instance of violation of NHM norms or responsibility of any officer had been established on the basis of the present record.
The Health and Medical Education Department said it remained committed to ensuring optimal utilisation of available human resources and uninterrupted healthcare delivery in remote and difficult areas such as Karnah
