60 percent Salary Hike for Specialists, Medical Officers recruitment in Chandigarh

Chandigarh: Aiming to address the shortage of medical officers and specialists in the health facilities across Chandigarh, the UT Health Department has recently advertised 18 posts for medical officers and 16 posts for specialists with up to 60 per cent enhanced pay scale on a contract basis under the National Health Mission.

Among these 18 posts for medical officers and 16 specialist posts, 10 posts are for gynaecology and one each for radiology, microbiology, epidemiology and anaesthesia departments.

However, the officials informed that even though interviews for the posts have already been conducted and the budget for the specialists has already been passed, the budget for medical officers is still awaited.

While previously the Medical Officers used to get Rs 45,000 monthly pay, in this year's advertisement, the salary has been increased to Rs 72,000. Among the specialists, the salary of gynaecologists has been increased from Rs 75,000 to Rs 1 lakh per month, for radiologists, it has been increased from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 1.5 lakh, for anaesthetists, microbiologists and epidemiologists, the salary has been increased from Rs 75,000 to Rs 85,000, the Indian Express has reported.

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To apply for the posts of specialists, the doctors must have an MBBS/MD Degree with relevant experience and for the medical officers, the required qualification is MBBS with expertise.

The decision to offer a better salary to the medical officers comes as last year, the Health Department's advertisement for hiring medical officers and specialists for Government Multi Specialty Hospital (GMSH), Sector 16, and Civil Hospitals in Mani Majra, Sector 45, and Sector 22 did not receive a favourable response.

As per the latest media report by Indian Express, a senior official informed that many MBBS and MD doctors do not apply for government jobs due to the significant difference in pay between the private sector and other States. Even though the Health Department appoints doctors from Punjab, Haryana and other States on deputation, the recent audit report of GMSH-16 shows that only 476 out of the 721 sanctioned posts have been filled by regular employees and 245 posts i.e. 33.98 percent of the approved posts are lying vacant.

Due to the shortage of healthcare staff, the existing manpower gets overburdened and it ultimately results in the smooth functioning, working and overall efficiency and performance of all the departments getting hampered.

The official informed the Daily that to fill up the vacant posts, the basic pay was increased considering the increase in the number of patients from across the region in all health facilities.

At GMSH-16 alone, 3500 patients from across the region seek treatment. Similarly, the 500-bed district hospital has to deal with referral cases from across the region with the highest i.e. 350-400 cases in the gynaecology department alone.

Apart from increasing the salary, the Health Department has also planned to hire radiologists in the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) mode to address the shortage 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.

Commenting on this, the Director of Health Services, Dr. Suman Singh told the Daily, "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."

Last year, an MRI scan center at GMSH-16 was opened under the PPP mode. The MRI facility is available 24x7 to the hospital patients and those referred from other facilities at half the cost of private centres.

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