Srinagar, Sep 29 (KNO): The Jammu and Kashmir government has said that efforts are underway to address staff shortages in health institutions across Akhnoor constituency, with 335 Medical Officers having already received appointment orders and recruitment for 290 non-gazetted posts in Jammu Division currently in progress.
The information was provided by the Health and Medical Education Department in a written reply to a question tabled by MLA Mohan Lal Bhagat, who had sought details about the availability of medical, paramedical and other staff in Sub-District Hospital (SDH) Akhnoor, Community Health Centre (CHC) Jourian and other health institutions in the constituency.
The department, as reported by the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), informed the House that it had received a selection list of 416 Medical Officers, of whom appointment orders for 335 candidates had been issued after receipt of their verification reports.
These doctors will be posted against identified vacancies and manpower requirements, with priority being given to peripheral, underserved and doctor-deficient health institutions and areas.
Regarding non-gazetted employees, the government said 290 posts pertaining to Jammu Division, including those relevant to health institutions in Akhnoor constituency, had been referred to the Jammu and Kashmir Services Selection Board (JKSSB).
The posts were advertised by the JKSSB in July 2025, and the recruitment process is currently underway.
The department said it would continue recruitment against vacant sanctioned posts and rational deployment of available staff, subject to recruitment rules and the availability of eligible candidates.
Responding to questions about the assessment of manpower requirements in proportion to population and patient load, the government said the availability and deployment of healthcare personnel were regularly reviewed, taking into account population served, patient load, institutional requirements and available resources.
It added that staffing requirements were guided by the Indian Public Health Standards (IPHS), which prescribe indicative manpower and other essential requirements for different levels of healthcare facilities.
The government also highlighted that Jammu and Kashmir has a comparatively higher density of public health institutions than the national average, with approximately one health institution for every 3,500 people, compared to the national average of around 6,000, as per data from the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
In view of the existing healthcare network, the department said its focus was on consolidating and strengthening existing institutions rather than establishing additional facilities wherever the current infrastructure could adequately serve the population.
The government further stated that wherever manpower gaps were identified, need-based measures, including rational deployment, internal arrangements and temporary postings, were being undertaken to ensure the uninterrupted delivery of essential healthcare services.
It said digital health initiatives, including telemedicine, were also being promoted to bridge service gaps and facilitate access to specialist medical advice, particularly in remote and underserved areas.
Besides, the department said manpower at district and sub-district hospitals was being augmented through the rotational deployment of Post-Graduate Medical Officers and residents under the District Residency Programme (DRP), aimed at strengthening patient care and specialist services.
The government said it would continue to take steps to improve staffing in health institutions, particularly at the peripheral level, while addressing vacancies through recruitment and available manpower arrangements—(KNO)