Doctor Shortage: NMC Cancels Deputation of 129 Senior Residents, Tutors in Sadar Hospitals in Jharkhand

Dhanbad: The National Medical Commission (NMC) has cancelled the Jharkhand Government's earlier decision to deploy PG medical graduates at the Sadar Hospitals instead of the medical college hospitals. Taking note of the shortage of doctors in the medical college hospitals in the State, NMC cancelled the deputation of 129 postgraduate (PG) passed-out senior residents/tutors in the Sadar hospitals and issued directions to deploy them at the medical colleges instead.

The Apex Medical Commission has directed the Jharkhand State Government to ensure that these senior residents/tutors are posted in the medical colleges and hospitals within a week, The Jharkhand Story has reported.

NMC has also clarified that the deputation period service of these 129 doctors at Sadar Hospital would be considered under the three-year bond service. 

Following the NMC's directions, the Special Secretary of the Jharkhand Government Alok Trivedi issued a notification and deployed the senior residents/tutors at their respective medical college hospitals.

Also Read: 139 PG Medical Doctors deployed, health department undertakes major recruitment drive

As per the latest media report by The Jharkhand Story, last year on November 23, 2023, the State Government had deployed 129 PG graduates from Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) Ranchi and Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College Hospital (MGMMCH) Jamshedpur in Sadar Hospital in four districts- Palamu, Hazaribagh, Dhanbad, and Dumka.

Medical Dialogues had last year reported about the deployment of these doctors by the State Health Department. These PG graduates from RIMS Ranchi and MGMMCH Jamshedpur were deployed at different Sadar Hospitals of various districts for three years under the bond rule of PG professionals.

Among them, 13 doctors were deployed in Jamshedpur and 12 doctors each at Dhanbad and Palamu. Although originally these doctors were set to serve as senior residents at State Medical Colleges, these doctors were placed in the Sadar hospitals for three years under the bond of PG professionals.

Reportedly, the decision to deploy these doctors was made in response to the growing healthcare needs of the rural areas, while the initial plan was to utilize their expertise within the medical college settings, the State Health Department had redirected their deployment to Sadar hospitals, which play a crucial role in delivering the primary healthcare services to the local communities.

The tutors of the anatomy and physiology departments (PG graduates) were also put on deputation in Sadar Hospital by the State Government. In this regard, the medical college senior faculty members have pointed out that such tutors have no roles to play at the Sadar Hospital.

They had been deployed in the hospitals of Medinirai Medical College Hospital (MMCH) Palamu, Sheikh Bhikhari Medical College Hospital, Shahid Nirmal Mahto Medical College Hospital (SNMMCH) Dhanbad and Phulo Jhano Medical College Hospital (PJMCH) Dumka and Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College Hospital (MGMMCH) Jamshedpur.

Although initially, these PG graduates (senior residents/tutors) had opposed the Government move, they ultimately complied with the order due to the bond service conditions for three years.

Also Read: RIMS Ranchi struggles with shortage of staff