Nearly 65 per cent of posts in Employees' State Insurance Corporation (ESIC) hospitals in Haryana and Gujarat are lying vacant as of December-end, the government said today.
In Haryana, of the 913 sanctioned posts in ESIC hospitals, 595 are yet to be filled, whereas in Gujarat 543 of 836 positions are vacant.
In Madhya Pradesh, 63 per cent of sanctioned positions is vacant (285 out 452); Jammu & Kashmir 56 per cent (77 out of 137); Punjab 53 per cent (233 out of 439); Kerala 41.4 per cent (518 out of 1,252); West Bengal 39 per cent (211 out of 542); Rajasthan 36 per cent (206 out of 573); and Bihar 41 per cent (44 out of 99).
"Yes. The Main reason for shortfall, includes non availability of adequate number of applicants for appointment to the posts of specialists/super-specialists in ESIC, high attrition rate in all cadres of doctors," Minister of State for Labour and Employment Bandaru Dattatreya said in a written reply in Lok Sabha.
He was replying to a question whether there is a shortage of doctors including specialists and para-medical staff in hospitals run by ESIC.
On an average, a little over one-third of the posts is vacant in all states.
Of the total sanctioned 12,487 positions in these states, 4,141 are vacant.
Dattatreya said government has been taking steps to fill up these positions, including conversion of 40 per cent posts of General Duty Medical Officers (GDMOs) to senior residents and sanction of 10 additional posts of senior residents per 100 beds hospitals.
The minister further said ESIC have tie-up arrangements with government and corporate hospitals on cashless basis to ensure that the health care services are not affected due to shortage of health professionals and medical equipment.
