Gurgaon: In a major boost for Haryana’s government hospitals, over 700 new medical officers will be appointed in March, including around 200 specialists, to improve OPD and emergency services across the state.
Officials confirmed that 777 medical officers will receive their appointment letters after the municipal elections. This move aims to address the acute shortage of medical professionals in government hospitals, which currently face a shortfall of over 900 doctors against the sanctioned 3,902 positions.
The appointments follow a written exam held in Rohtak last December. The Director General of Health Services (Haryana), Manish Bansal, uploaded the results on the health department’s website on Sunday. Shortlisted candidates underwent document verification on January 17 in Panchkula.
Dr. Virender Yadav, Director of Health Services and member secretary of the high-power selection committee, stated, “The shortlisted candidates must complete biometrics and document verification in Panchkula before receiving their appointments.”
With Haryana’s doctor vacancy rate at 23%, only 3,305 medical officers currently serve a population of 2.8 crore, falling short of the WHO-recommended doctor-patient ratio of 100 doctors per lakh population. The new recruitments are expected to significantly enhance healthcare services and accessibility across the state.
Government hospitals, including 59 civil hospitals, 119 community health centres, and 486 primary health centres, are struggling with staff shortages across various medical and technical departments.
Health Department Data Highlights Critical Vacancies:
- 132 out of 707 sanctioned dental surgeon posts are vacant.
- 255 out of 350 radiographer positions remain unfilled.
- 26 out of 35 dietitian roles are vacant.
- 353 out of 1,085 drug control officer posts are unoccupied.
- Overall, 6,500 of the total 23,607 sanctioned posts remain vacant.
Officials cited the reluctance of qualified doctors to join government hospitals as a major challenge. Despite the health department filling 2,389 posts in 2022, only 690 out of 855 appointed doctors actually joined the service.
The upcoming recruitment drive aims to bolster Haryana’s public healthcare sector, ensuring better patient care and hospital efficiency.
