Kaithal MLA corners BJP govt over health infra: Over 1,069 medical officers, 570 pharmacist posts vacant

“Pharmacy Officers (Pharmacists) – The most alarming situation! Out of 1,167 sanctioned posts, only 597 filled. 570 vacant – i.e., 49% vacant. Ambala 50, Karnal 46, Sonipat 44, Jind 33, Bhiwani 26, Charkhi Dadri 17, Faridabad 12, Fatehabad 29, Gurugram 22, Hisar 27, Jhajjar 22, Kaithal 18, Kurukshetra 14, Mewat 16, Narnaul 35, Palwal 27, Panchkula 12, Panipat 28, Rewari 24, Rohtak 12, Sirsa 44, Sonipat 20, Yamunanagar 36 vacant. The BJP government should explain: Who will dispense medicines? When patients go to hospitals for medicines, they find the pharmacy closed!”, Surjewala questioned the government.

Raising the vacancies of Technical officers, Surjewala pointed out – Out of 1,338 sanctioned, 913 filled, 425 vacant (32%). Ambala 33, Bhiwani 30, Charkhi Dadri 20, Faridabad 22, Fatehabad 17, Gurugram 39, Hisar 9, Jhajjar 11, Jind 2, Kaithal 7, Karnal 32, Kurukshetra 35, Mewat 19, Narnaul 32, Palwal 27, Panchkula 2, Panipat 9, Rewari 24, Rohtak 3, Sirsa 31, Sonipat 3, Yamunanagar 28 vacant posts. He also raised the vacancies of Radiographers (Out of 409 sanctioned, 270 filled, 139 vacant – 34%); Nursing Officers/Staff Nurses (Out of 5,039 sanctioned, 653 vacant – 13%) and so on.

Reading from the reply submitted by the health minister Arti Rao, Surjewala pointed out that “the OPD doctor-patient ratio in the 2025-26 estimates is worst in Kaithal (105:1), Fatehabad (86:1), Sonipat (52:1), Panipat (50:1), and Nuh (47:1) – meaning one doctor for 105 patients! In contrast, Charkhi Dadri, Narnaul, and Panchkula have 23-25:1. Is the government only busy with jumlebazi (empty slogans), with no concern for patients and common citizens?” He questioned the BJP government – “When Primary Health Centers are lying vacant, medicines are unavailable, tests are not conducted, and ANMs for deliveries are missing, where will patients go? This is playing with the health of the public”.

Demanding action, Aditya Surjewala urged the BJP government to launch immediate special recruitment drives for all vacant posts, speed up the process for 450 MOs and issue notifications for the remaining 619 posts, fill the 49% pharmacist shortage within 6 months, prioritize recruitment of ANMs and staff nurses and set targets to improve doctor-patient ratios in every district”.

450 new doctors to be recruited soon, says health minister

Health minister Arti Singh Rao, however, countered the Congress MLA and said that “450 new doctors will soon be recruited in the state. There will be no shortage of doctors in Haryana in the future. The present government has recruited more than 1,400 doctors in just one year. Before 2014, such a large number of doctors were never recruited in a single year. Doctors will be appointed wherever they are needed across the state. During the tenure of the present government, 150 specialist doctors have been recruited through the National Health Mission. Besides this, 150 newly qualified postgraduate doctors will also be recruited soon. Recruitment of doctors and specialists will continue in the coming time as well”.