The Indian Express 16.11.2013
Few takers for specialist doctors’ post at PMC hospitals
The Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) is struggling to find specialist
doctors to fill permanent posts at its 16 civic hospitals. With PMC
planning to re-advertise posts for 29 specialist doctors, presently
contractual appointments are being made.
Dr S T Pardeshi, acting chief medical officer of health said a
salary of Rs 50,000 and above has been offered to specialist doctors.
With barely five applicants responding to the advertisements, we have no
other option but to re-advertise, he said.
Dr Anjali Sabne, Deputy Medical Officer, said there were 1,278
posts at 16 civic hospitals. “We were able to fill 100 posts of medical
officers and had recently conducted a written test for 100 junior
nurses. An oral exam will soon be conducted,” Sabne said.
It is however a tough to fill the post of 20 specialist doctors,
PMC officials admit. Posts for a medical superintendent, radiologist,
pathologist, paediatrician, surgeon, neonatologist and others are still
vacant and is hampering PMC’s ambitious programme to privatise civic
hospitals. There are 14 maternity nursing homes and two general
hospitals. Kamala Nehru hospital is being modernised and will soon have a
modular operation theatre. All specialist doctors will be rank-one
officers who will also provide extra services such as neonatal intensive
care in other hospitals. Already four to five advertisements have been
placed in newspapers inviting applications, Pardeshi said. Specialists
on a six-month contract are being appointed and so far ENT surgeons,
ophthalmologists, orthopaedic surgeons and physicians have been
selected.
