The state health department is in the process to frame a policy to discourage newly-trained doctors opting for services outside J&K. One of the measures in offing is to make it compulsory for a medical graduate from state medical colleges to serve in health sector for a stipulated period of time. An official said motive behind the policy was to utilize local talent in a “better way” and give them opportunities to serve their own people. But the stakeholders have their fingers crossed whether the policy would be implemented on ground given that the government is sitting over hundreds of posts lying vacant at different levels in health sector for past many years. Sample this: In 2012, government announced to fill vacant faculty positions in different departments at Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS). For next three years there was no action taken on the announcement made. In 2015, these posts, and some more that had fallen vacant by then were advertised. But it was only after a lapse of two and a half years more that in July 2017 interviews for filling up of these posts were announced. A separate schedule was also advertised for holding the interviews discipline wise. Usually, authorities at SKIMS would conclude the interviews in a weeks’ time, but this time, the interviews were started in August of 2017 and completed in May 2018. One of the reasons for the process getting stretched to 10 months was that candidates were called for interview repeatedly but each time the date would be postponed. Sometimes, the interviews were cancelled right on the day they were scheduled to be held. Many candidates, who were working outside, had come to appear in interview, spending their time and money but had to return dejected. Almost six years later the selection process for these multi-level faculty positions is yet to be finalised. Today, the endless wait of the candidates to serve their own people is now turning into hopelessness. Many of them have already opted for other jobs in state while others are choosing to leave the state and get a better job outside J&K. This is not the lone case of “criminal” delay on part of authorities in hiring manpower in state’s health sector. Last year 371 posts of medical officers in directorate of health services of Kashmir division (DHSK) were filled by J&K Public Service Commission (PSC). The posts had been lying vacant for years. Although it took the PSC just a year to complete entire process from advertising posts to making selection in January this year, these medical officers have not been posted to their place of duties for past seven months. Many among these 371 doctors are considering moving out and seeking other avenues. About 2500 doctors had appeared for the written test for these posts. The delay in making these doctors available in peripheral healthcare system is putting a strain on existing manpower. “Despite availability of these doctors the government is not bothered to make a single decision to help overcome the problem in rural health sector. The appointment of these medical officers would have gone a long way to improve patient care,” said an official in state health department. The situation is no different in two medical colleges of State, Government Medical College (GMC) Srinagar and GMC Jammu. There are a total of 147 posts of faculty members lying vacant in these colleges including those of professors, associate professors and assistant professors. As per an official document, the vacant posts were not filled in the past because the PSC had insisted that bifurcation of teaching cadre of GMC Jammu and GMC Srinagar carried out in 2006 by virtue of an official order was not legalized. After years of delay the general administrative department issued the SRO earlier this year following which the seniority lists of the two medical colleges was drawn. But the positions are still lying vacant. “These and many more instances of government apathy towards carrying out recruitment and promotion in time and providing suitable atmosphere to qualified professional is main reason for our talent now considering moving out,” said the official. He said the state produces 500 medical graduates every year apart from over 350 specialists and 14 super specialists. There are hundreds of students who pursue their medical studies in outside colleges. However, this resource pool slips out of hands of state health institutions mainly owing to lackadaisical approach of the authorities towards completing recruitment process in time. A senior official said threat of brain drain was now real in J&K health sector owing to flawed recruitment policy. “There are specialists and super specialists who are presently working in health department as medical officers and at positions not relevant to them because government has failed to fill vacancies at top levels for which they had applied many years back. Eventually some of them including neurologist and radiologist felt disappointed and left the state while many others are contemplating to leave,” said an official. He said some departments at super specialty hospital in Srinagar have just one-member faculty and have now “hired” doctors with expertise from field as stop-gap arrangement. “These doctors have just got the space temporarily to put their expertise to best use. But at the same time they are also waiting for long time for the government to fill up the posts for which they had applied. How long can we hold this talented pool of doctors back without giving them opportunity,” said the official. Another official said there was a serious need to revamp the recruitment process and make officials concerned accountable. “This is the only way to prevent long delays in filling up of vacant posts. It has now become imperative given the state is in process of setting up of two AIIMS and five medical colleges across state,” said the official. While one each AIIMS-type institute is coming up in Kashmir and Jammu, two medical colleges are coming up in Kashmir and three in Jammu. The official said at the present pace it would take years for filling up the posts of faculty, doctors and other manpower in these seven institutes. “We need to pull up our socks if we are really serious in utilizing the talent in medical field,” said the official.
How ‘flawed recruitment’ policy in health sector is leading to brain drain
