Specialist vacancies in GHs unfilled since '13

Doctors say serious shortage of gynaecologists affecting patient care

- SINDUJA JANE

DOCTORS have urged the health department to recruit specialists through the Medical Services Recruitment Board to fill specialist vacancies in government hospitals, particularly taluk, non-taluk, and district headquarters hospitals. Since 2013, the department has not recruited specialists.

The Medical Services Recruitment Board (MRB), on March 3, invited applications to the post of assistant surgeons (general), and the minimum qualification to apply was MBBS. Since there has not been direct recruitment to the post of general surgeon (speciality), even doctors who have completed super speciality (DM, MCh) and broad speciality (MD, MS) have applied.

These doctors will be posted as medical officers in primary health centres (PHCs) under the Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, for providing primary health care.