UT offers posts of medical officers with 60% hike in salary

Though interviews for the posts have been conducted and the budget for specialists has been passed, the budget for medical officers is still awaited, according to an official.

Last year, the health department had advertised to hire medical officers and specialists for Government Multi Specialty Hospital (GMSH), Sector 16, and Civil Hospitals in Mani Majra, Sector 45, and Sector 22, but it did not receive a favourable response.

According to a senior official, many MBBS and MD doctors do not apply for government jobs due to a significant difference in pay between the private sector and other states.

The official said the previous monthly pay of medical officers was Rs 45,000, which has been increased to Rs 72,000 in this year’s advertisement; for gynaecologists, it is Rs 1 lakh from the previous Rs 75,000; for radiologists, it is Rs 1,50,000 from Rs 1 lakh; and for anaesthetists, microbiologists and epidemiologists, it is Rs 85,000 from Rs 7,5000.

The qualification for specialists is MBBS\MD with relevant experience, and for medical officers, it is MBBS with expertise.

Although the health department appoints doctors from Punjab, Haryana and other states on deputation, the recent audit report of GMSH-16 shows that out of 721 sanctioned posts, only 476 posts have been filled by regular employees, and 245 posts (33.98 per cent) are lying vacant.

Staff shortage results in overburdening of the existing manpower and also hampers the smooth functioning, working and overall efficiency and performance of the departments.

The official said that to fill vacant posts, the basic pay was increased as the number of patients from across the region in all health facilities increased considerably, with GMSH-16 witnessing 3,500 patients from across the region. Similarly, the 500-bed district hospital has referral cases from across the region, with the highest of 350 to 400 in the gynaecology department.

To address the shortage, the health department has also planned to hire radiologists on the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) mode as there is tremendous work pressure on the three radiologists at GMSH-16, who work on rotation, with the hospital offering x-ray facilities on Sunday too.

“With more radiologists, one each for civil hospitals, patients, including pregnant women, will not face the inconvenience of visiting a private centre for an ultrasound x-ray, CT scan, MRI, etc. This will also reduce crowding and long lines,” says Dr Suman Singh, Director, Health Services.

Last year, an MRI scan centre at GMSH-16 was opened under the PPP mode. The MRI facility is available 24×7 to hospital patients and those referred from other facilities at half the cost of private centres.

A tender for a Cath Lab at GMSH-16 under the PPP mode has also been floated to help patients seek specialised services at the hospital and also reduce the burden on other hospitals.