Odisha faces doctor crunch: 4,880 posts vacant in Govt Hospitals

Bhubaneswar: Odisha has failed to meet the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) recommended ratio of one doctor per 1,000 people, with one doctor currently serving 1,735 residents. The state is facing a shortfall of nearly 4,900 doctors against the 15,774 sanctioned posts for Medical Officers.

The information was revealed by Health Minister Mukesh Mahaling in the State Assembly on Monday in response to a question raised by BJD legislator Ranendra Pratap Swain.

According to Mahaling’s written reply, 4,880 posts of Medical Officers are vacant across government hospitals. Mayurbhanj district tops the list with 613 vacancies, followed by Ganjam with 537 and Cuttack with 462.

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He further stated that only 10,894 are currently filled against 15,774 sanctioned posts for Medical Officers. This figure includes positions such as Assistant Professors and Assistant Surgeons.

As per WHO norms, the doctor-population ratio should be 1:1,000. However, in Odisha, it stands at 1:1,735, leaving a significant gap in healthcare delivery.

“The vacant posts of medical officer will be filled up by way of recruitment through Odisha Public Service Commission (OPSC), departmental promotion, contractual engagement, and through DMF. Further steps are being taken to fill up the vacant posts of specialists after the return of medical officers on completion of their higher studies/senior residentship,” stated the minister in his reply, as reported by TOI.

Meanwhile, the Minister said that the shortage extends beyond Medical Officers. Odisha currently has 23 vacant posts of Pharmacists out of 2,718 sanctioned, 86 vacant posts of Medical Laboratory Technicians out of 1,501 sanctioned, 1,594 vacant posts of Nursing Officers out of 16,628 sanctioned, and 241 vacancies among 663 Radiographer posts.

To address the immediate gap, the District authorities, including Chief District Medical Officers (CDMOs) and Public Health Officers (PHOs), have been asked to appoint doctors on a contractual basis. So far, 877 contractual doctors have been deployed, particularly in severely affected and remote tribal districts, as per the UNI report.

OPSC has been requested to conduct recruitment for 5,248 posts of medical officers for the current year, and it is under process. “After receipt of recommendations from OPSC, steps will be taken for the posting of doctors,” Mahaling said.

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