Finally, govt initiates move to end dearth of nursing staff
Various posts to be filled up to run ancillary medical schools
Srinagar: Aiming to provide the much-needed nursing staff to various government hospitals in the state, the government has finally given a nod to create various posts needed to run the nursing institutions in the state.
The move has come after strenuous efforts by various quarters as the institutions were functional through the internal arrangement raising questions over the way they functioned.
Principal Secretary Health and Medical Education (H&ME), Atal Dulloo, while talking to Kashmir Vision said that the process for creation of posts for the upcoming and already functional nursing institutions has been set in motion, keeping in view the dearth of nursing staff in the hospitals.
“The process of creation of posts is on for the institutions where there is a need for the same, and shall be completed soon,” he said.
“The government is all aware of the dearth of nursing staff and in order to overcome that there are total 21 nursing institutions in the state, 11 are already functional while the rest are still undergoing construction,” he added.
The state healthcare is currently facing a severe dearth of nursing staff, however, the government is expecting to overcome the dearth by imparting staff to the nursing institutions, which will pave way for increasing the number of trained nurses to work in the hospitals.
Earlier, the Manpower Audit carried out by the Health and Medical Education Department had stated that the buildings for 11 ANM/GNM Schools have been completed “but non-availability of manpower is delaying the functioning of these schools in a proper manner.”
Presently, 06 ANM/GNM, 03 GNM Schools, with an Intake capacity of 60 seats each at Akhnoor, Kulgam and Pulwama. 3 ANM Schools, with an intake capacity of 40 seats each, at Reasi, Kishtwar and Bandipora have been made functional again ‘on internal arrangement basis’.
Dulloo said that the government is working on a plan in order to take care of the dearth of the nursing staff.
“It may take some time, but the department is on it and is taking the issues seriously,” he said.
At present, as per the Manpower Audit Report, the total number of staff nurses required as per Indian Public Health Services (IPHS) norms is 3193, but there is a sanction of only 1290 posts, 60 per cent less than what is required.
The reason for the shortfall of the nursing staff in the hospitals is also attributed to the non-availability of the nursing intuitions and even if there is any, lack of manpower at such intuitions is hampering their functions.
The case in point can be two Unani and Ayurveda Medical Colleges which have been set up by the government in Jammu and Ganderbal districts but were left midway by not creating enough posts to run these institutions.
Ironically, the government even went ahead and started the first batch of BAMS students in Ayurveda College Jammu, through ‘internal arrangement,’ however, to its vain, this year, the college will not be able to admit another batch of students—courtesy non-availability of the faculty.
Irfan Tramboo
