Srinagar: The overloaded Kashmir hospitals are understaffed.
A response to a Right to Information Act (RTI) query has revealed that over 70 posts of doctors and 332 posts of paramedics are lying vacant in different districts of Kashmir.
This information was provided by the hospital authorities under the RTI in response to an application filed by social activist M M Shujah.
As per the official data, 30 posts of Medical Officers and 40 posts of paramedic staff are lying vacant with the office of Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Srinagar.
Similarly, at JLNM hospital, two posts of doctors and 20 paramedics are lying vacant so far.
Two doctors and 11 paramedic posts are also lying vacant at Gousia Hospital Srinagar. At Government Medical College (GMC), Baramulla, 75 posts of doctors and paramedics are lying vacant.
In addition, four doctors and 28 paramedics posts are lying vacant with Block Medical Officer (BMO) Ganderbal.
In District Hospital Shopian, five posts of doctors including Senior Consultant Surgeon, Consultant ENT, Consultant Anaesthesia, and a post of a Medical Officer are lying vacant.
At least six posts of paramedics including a Head Pharmacist, Supervisor Pharmacist, and four nurses are also laying vacant at District Hospital Shopian.
With BMO Langate, 10 posts of doctors, 86 posts of paramedics are lying vacant while a Medical Officer is retiring in December this year.
Similarly, in Lar Ganderbal, posts of five medical officers, 31 paramedics which includes one CHO, two junior staff nurses, a Health Supervisor, Health Educators, Head Pharmacist, Accountant, Senior Pharmacist, Junior Assistants, Junior Dental Technicians, X-Ray Technicians, Lab Technicians and five Nursing Orderlies are lying vacant.
Besides, 12 posts of doctors and 35 paramedic posts are lying vacant with CMO Pulwama. Spokesperson of Directorate of Health Services Kashmir (DHSK), Dr Mir Mushtaq told Greater Kashmir that the government would try to fill all the vacant posts in due course of time to further strengthen the healthcare system. “Sometimes people who are eligible for the posts are not available,” he said.