SRINAGAR: As many as 5,967 posts of medical and paramedical staff are lying vacant in health institutions across Jammu and Kashmir, the Legislative Assembly was informed on Tuesday.
The information was provided in response to Starred Assembly Question No 445 tabled by MLA Aga Syed Muntazir Mehdi, who sought category-wise details of vacancies in health institutions across the Union Territory.
According to the official reply, the Health Department has a sanctioned strength of 19,683 posts, of which only 13,701 positions are currently filled, leaving 5,967 vacancies across Jammu and Kashmir. The details have been furnished in Annexure-A, covering medical colleges and other health institutions in the Union Territory.
The vacancies span both gazetted and non-gazetted categories and include posts of doctors, specialists, nurses, pharmacists and other paramedical staff. Shortages have also been reported in the AYUSH and Family Welfare cadres.
District-wise data reveal significant gaps across multiple regions. Baramulla district has 202 vacant posts, Rajouri 354, Anantnag 649 and Udhampur 668. Similar shortages have been reported from other districts, indicating a widespread staffing deficit in the public healthcare system.
The issue of vacancies in the health sector has remained a recurring concern in the Assembly, particularly in the context of service delivery in rural and remote areas of Jammu and Kashmir.
