Around 550 posts of Medical Officers (MOs) are currently vacant in Jammu and Kashmir, with the selection process for 181 MOs still ongoing, as stated by Javed Ahmad Dar, Minister for Agriculture Production Department. Dar was replying on behalf of the Minister for Health and Medical Education during the Legislative Assembly session, addressing a clubbed question raised by Dr. Sajad Shafi and Javed Hassan Beig.
The Minister shared that 57 health institutes are operational in the Sheeri and Kreeri blocks of Baramulla district. In Kreeri block, the sanctioned staff of 157 includes Medical Officers and paramedics, of which 121 are in place, leaving 36 vacant. In Sheeri block, the sanctioned strength is 330, with 223 staff members in position, leaving 107 vacant positions.
Regarding infrastructure, the Minister mentioned that land acquisition for the CHC Chandoosa is ongoing, with efforts underway to identify state land in coordination with the concerned revenue authorities. He further explained that an amount of Rs. 8 lakh was released for land compensation for NTPHC Laridora in the 2021-2022 financial year. However, the funds lapsed due to the closure of the financial year. Nevertheless, construction of the NTPHC at Laridora was completed, and the facility has been operational since September 2024.
The Minister emphasized the department’s ongoing efforts to address the vacancy issue of Medical Officers, which currently stands at about 550 vacancies. The selection process for 181 MOs, facilitated by JKPSC, is still in progress, and once completed, the new recruits will be posted to health institutions facing critical staff shortages.
Additionally, the Minister informed the House about the establishment of a waitlist for 91 selected MOs, who will be deployed in underserved areas of the region to strengthen the healthcare system.
Concerning the Baramulla district, the Minister disclosed that, out of the 275 sanctioned Medical Officer posts, 219 are filled, leaving 56 vacancies across various medical blocks. In response to these shortages, 39 out of the 365 recently appointed MOs have been posted in Baramulla. Furthermore, 11 additional staff members from NHM and 71 from the Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakram (RBSK), including doctors and paramedics, have been deployed in Baramulla, significantly enhancing healthcare services in underserved areas.
Legislators Mubarak Gul and Mir Saifullah also raised supplementary questions during the session.
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