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.