State to fill 2K posts in Health sector ahead of Durga Puja

Kolkata: To further enhance the health infrastructure, the Bengal government is all set to fill approximately 2,000 vacant positions before this year’s Durga Puja.

According to Health Department sources, the recruits will primarily fill 20 different roles, including teaching doctors, medical technologists, and pharmacists, among others.

The burgeoning growth of medical colleges and cutting-edge super-speciality hospitals throughout the state has amplified the urgent need to fill numerous vacant positions. The lengthy Lok Sabha election process had put several key projects on hold.

Health Department sources revealed that advertisements for filling the vacant positions will be published within the next month. It has been learnt that about seven types of medical technologists will be recruited to work in dialysis units, cath labs, operating theatres and other specialised areas.Out of the total vacant positions, approximately 550 will be allocated for teaching doctors, who will be recruited as assistant professors across various medical colleges. Additionally, around 700 individuals will be inducted as medical technologists. The recruitment drive will also include positions for laboratory assistants and physiotherapists.

These vacant positions have accumulated over a period of more than a year, from January 2023 to March 2024.

Currently, over 12,000 doctors are working in government hospitals, a significant increase from the 4,500 doctors in 2011. Additionally, the number of nurses has risen to more than 53,000.

When the Mamata Banerjee government came to power, there were around 37,366 nurses in government health establishments.

In a previous recruitment drive, the state Health department created 126 positions for nursing faculty and 79 non-teaching staff positions across 13 newly established government nursing colleges last year.

To enhance healthcare accessibility across the state and elevate the academic standards of nursing personnel to keep pace with the rapidly evolving medical sciences, 13 new government nursing colleges have been established statewide. Additionally, a nursing training school has been set up at Calcutta National Medical College.

The state Health department had initiated the process of recruiting general duty medical officers (GDMO) at the Primary Health Centre (PHC) level to further boost infrastructure in the districts as well.