SRINAGAR: Government has created nearly 70 posts of Medical Officers (MOs) which are going to include the Dental Surgeons for the first time in the last 12 years, Daily Excelsior reported.
The posts have been created for the COVID hospitals that are going to come up in Srinagar as well as in Jammu keeping in view a surge in the COVID cases with existing hospitals facing pressure amid a dearth of manpower.
With regard to the Dental Surgeons, there has been no post creation particularly for them in the last 12 years anywhere in the peripheries in J&K with a result the oral healthcare across the UT has taken a giant hit.
However, the move of creating posts of Medical Officers in the twin upcoming hospitals in Srinagar, Jammu for which only those with MBBS used to be eligible and this time over, including the Dental Surgeons as well has been welcomed by the medical fraternity.
Notably, there is already a file lying pending with the Health Department regarding the creation of the posts of Dental Surgeons in the peripheries to take care of the oral health. However, the file is lying pending for the last over three years now. The file has been doing rounds of the Health and Finance Departments but to no avail.
Pertinent to mention here that the twin hospitals are coming up in Srinagar and Jammu in collaboration with the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO), Ministry of Defence, Government of India with 1366 posts, 683 posts each at Srinagar and Jammu to be created.
Out of 1366 posts, 35 posts of Medical Officers (MBBS, ISM and Dental Surgeons) each at Jammu and Srinagar hospital have also been created. As per the directives, the posts are to be created for three years and will be filled up initially for one year.
