Despite HC Order to Address Huge Vacancies in Maharashtra Govt Medical Colleges, 35 percent posts still vacant
Out of a total of 57,714 sanctioned public health posts across the government medical colleges in the State, a total number of 37,312 posts are filled and 20,402 (35 per cent) posts are still unfilled.
Mumbai: There are huge vacancies for the posts of professors, doctors, and other medical, nursing or teaching staff in the Government medical colleges and hospitals in Maharashtra.
Around 37 per cent Class I posts, 59 per cent Class II posts, 38 per cent Class III and 41% Class IV posts are lying vacant across 71 GMCs across the State, revealed the data by the State Medical Education and Drugs Department.
This is the situation even though the Bombay High Court earlier served an ultimatum to the Maharashtra Government asking it to fill up the vacant posts of professors, doctors, and other medical, nursing, or teaching staff by October 31.
Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that coming down on the Maharashtra Government's consistent delay in filling up the vacant posts at the State Government medical colleges and hospitals, the Aurangabad bench of Bombay HC had fixed 31st October 2023 as the last date for the State to appoint professors, doctors, and other medical, nursing or teaching staff.
The HC bench issued these directions while considering a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by AIMIM MP Syed Imtiaz Jaleel, who sought the court's intervention in filling up the vacant posts of doctors in government hospitals and those run by local bodies.
Previously, on February 10, the Court had directed the Government to fill up the vacant posts on a 'war footing' basis and had asked the State to submit the details of the vacant posts.
Consequently, on April 12, the Additional Government Pleader shared the number of vacancies as per the information shared by the State Medical Education and Drugs Department.
According to it, around 118 posts out of the 348 sanctioned posts of professors or doctors across government hospitals and colleges for clinical subjects were lying vacant. Nearly 226 out of the 689 sanctioned posts of associate professors were vacant and 691 posts out of the 1,068 posts of assistant professors were also vacant.
Also Read: Bombay HC directs Govt to fill vacant posts at GMCs by October 31
Following this, the bench gave the State time until October 31, 2023, to fill up these vacant posts. However, as per the latest media report by Indian Express, despite the HC directive, the data shared by the Medical Education and Drugs department has shown that there are still "huge vacancies" in government medical colleges and hospitals across Maharashtra.
In this regard, the Principal Secretary of State Medical Education and Drugs Department, Dinesh Waghmare informed the HC bench that across 71 Government Medical Colleges and Hospitals, out of 2,015 Class I posts, including those of directors, administrative officers, deans, and professors, 744 or 37 per cent are vacant.
In the case of Class II posts, the total number of sanctioned posts of assistant and associate professors is 2,901. However, 1,725 (59 per cent) posts are vacant.
Additionally, 8,271 of 21, 686 (38%) posts of Class III and 3,974 of 9, 543 (41 %) positions of Class IV medical and nursing staff posts are also lying vacant across the State.
Meanwhile, the State Public Health Department submitted through its joint secretary Ashok Atram that out of a total of 57,714 sanctioned public health posts across the government medical colleges in the State, a total number of 37,312 posts are filled and 20,402 (35 per cent) posts are still unfilled.
Among the 43 posts of senior level officers, a total number of 31 posts are vacant and among the 733 civil surgeon cadre posts, 354 are vacant. Same situation is for the district health officer cadre posts as well. Among the 291 posts, 122 posts are lying vacant and among 1,707 speciality cadre, 893 are vacant.
A total number of 34 out of 63 general state services cadre posts are also lying vacant. In the case of Group C posts, 10,485 out of 32,034 posts are vacant and 5,835 of 13,150 Group D posts are unfilled under the Health Department.
This information was shared by the State Departments through affidavits in response to the suo motu PIL initiated by the HC bench of Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya. The bench initiated the proceedings while taking cognisance of the news reports related to the recent deaths of patients at government hospitals in Nanded and Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar districts.
While considering the matter, the Chief Justice on October 06, 2023, expressed concerns over the condition of the public healthcare system in Maharashtra and opined that it had to be "strengthened" by providing the government hospitals with sufficient doctors and paramedical staff, medicines and equipment.
The Daily adds that as per the State Public Health Department's affidavit, "there is poor response from candidates (doctors) to join the teaching cadre in various subjects" since the 1,201 teaching posts advertised by the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) got only 830 recommendations.
Further, in respect of the Dr Shankarrao Chavan Government Medical College and Hospital in Nanded, it was submitted that five of 21 posts of professors are vacant, while seven of 38 of associate professors and 10 of 66 assistant professors are yet to be filled. Apart from these, only 54 out of 97 posts of senior resident doctors have been filled up at the hospital.
On the other hand, with respect to Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, the data revealed that a total number of 7 out of 27 sanctioned posts of professors, 27 of 100 posts of Associate professors, and 42 of 144 assistant professors are still lying vacant.
The State Department further mentioned that the recently set up Maharashtra Medical Goods Procurement Authority has received proposals of Rs 263 crore till October 16 for medicines, consumables and medical kits for anganwadis that are being processed. Further, the authority has also got a regular CEO from October 10 and other vacancies are also being filled.
Although the High Court bench could not take up the suo motu PIL on Monday because of the paucity of time, it will be heard by the Court in the due course.
