Shimla: The Himachal Pradesh High Court has raised serious concerns over the government’s delay in filling numerous vacancies in the state’s health services. The division bench, led by Chief Justice MS Ramachandra Rao and Justice Satyen Vaidya, questioned the Health Secretary regarding the prolonged vacancies of 1,450 posts, including doctors and other medical staff, in various health centers across the state.
During the proceedings, the court sought a clear timeline for when these critical positions would be filled, expressing dissatisfaction with the government’s apparent procrastination in addressing the issue. The bench demanded an explanation for the delay and asked the government to clarify its position by September 16.
In the status report presented by the government, it was disclosed that 25 medical officers have been recently assigned to various Primary Health Centers (PHCs). Additionally, 33 out of 49 surplus medical officers, who had not been deployed earlier, have now been placed in vacant positions.
The report also mentioned that the government is drafting a plan to fill 1,450 other health service posts, including 200 doctors. However, the court found that the report lacked a specific deadline for completing these appointments, prompting the bench to insist on a more concrete timeline.
The court’s concerns were heightened after learning about staff shortages at Rohru Hospital, where out of 33 staff nurse positions, 13 are expected to be filled from a waiting list prepared by the Public Service Commission, while the remaining 20 will be filled in batches. The court noted with surprise that this same information had been provided two months earlier, with little progress made since then.
Adding to the urgency, the High Court took strict cognizance of a news report that highlighted the severe staffing issues at Rohru Hospital. The report indicated that the hospital handles around 400 outpatient cases daily, yet nearly half of the 31 nurse positions remain unfilled. Similarly, most of the nine pharmacist positions are vacant, leading to situations where doctors are forced to perform tasks such as wound dressing in the absence of para-medical staff.
Given the critical nature of these shortages, the High Court has ordered the government to take immediate action and resolve the staffing issues without further delay. The court will continue to monitor the situation, with the next hearing scheduled for September 16.
