Appoint doctors immediately through walk-in interviews: Nitish Kumar

Close on the heels of the Indian Medical Association (IMA), Bihar Chapter, urging Chief Minister to appoint doctors and paramedical staff on a war footing, Nitish has ordered immediate recruitment of doctors, nurses, and other para-medical staff on a contractual basis through walk-in interviews.

“Regular appointments of doctors and other medical staff should be done in a speedy manner. But, in the meantime, contractual appointments should also be done through walk-in interviews so as to share the burden of doctors and nurses in an extraordinary situation arising out of Covid-19 pandemic,” Nitish told his top officials.

The move comes even as Bihar reported 12,359 fresh Covid cases and 77 deaths in the last 24 hours. Those infected include several doctors and nurses too which has affected the health services in the state.

Already there are 30 to 40 per cent vacancies in the Health Department. “Bihar has a sanctioned strength of 13,500 doctors (approx). Around 30 per cent of posts are lying vacant. Similarly, there is an acute shortage of nurses, paramedic staff like OT assistants, lab assistants, X-ray technicians, ultra-sound technicians, ventilator assistants and data entry operators,” said the general secretary of Bihar State Health Services Association (BSHSA), Dr Ranjeet Kumar.

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Sources said, out of the sanctioned strength of 9130 posts of auxiliary nurse midwife (ANM), around posts of 4133 ANM were lying vacant. “Similarly, in different medical colleges in the State, out of 4000 posts, nearly 50 per cent of them are lying vacant,” said Dr Ajay Kumar, senior vice-president of the IMA, Bihar Chapter.

Earlier, the IMA had written a letter to Bihar Chief Minister reminding Nitish that there was a provision of immediate appointment of doctors and others in epidemic time.

“This war needs a big army of doctors, paramedics, nurses and support staff more than we need in normal times. Situation if not corrected can be disastrous,” the IMA said in its letter to Bihar CM.