Chandigarh: Amidst an ongoing crisis in finding fresh talent for government services, despite a rising shortage in key medical specialities, the Punjab health department has decided to redeploy retired specialists on a contractual basis. For years, the state’s public health system has faced a significant scarcity of experts in areas such as gynaecology, anaesthesia, orthopaedics, and radiology, and the latest step reflects the widening gap between healthcare needs and the limited number of younger doctors opting for public-sector roles.Also Read:Uttarakhand Pharma Executive Held in Rs 547 Crore Drug Diversion CaseAccording to The Times of India, out of 2,098 approved specialist positions, nearly half remain unfilled, and repeated recruitment drives have failed to improve the situation. Many newly hired specialists left within short periods, citing inadequate pay and limited benefits compared with neighbouring states and private hospitals. Aside from the low salary structure, mandatory deployment for VVIP duties has frequently disrupted clinical responsibilities, further discouraging specialists from staying in government roles. To address the shortage, the state has announced 88 consultant openings, including 20 in paediatrics, 19 each in gynaecology and general medicine, 11 in anaesthesia, 10 in general surgery, five in radiodiagnosis, and four in psychiatry. Selected candidates will be hired for an initial one-year term, extendable annually based on performance. Their remuneration will be capped at the last salary drawn minus pension plus dearness allowance, with no additional benefits. The consultants will be limited to clinical roles such as outpatient services, inpatient care, and emergency duties within their discipline. They will not be involved in administrative tasks, medico-legal work, post-mortems, or casualty postings, and private practice will be barred during the contract period. However, to analyse the candidature of the retired doctor, the department will ensure proper scrutiny of the last five years of Annual Confidential Report (ACRs), Vigilance Clearance Certificates (VCC), and Pension Clearance Certificates (PCC). Retired specialists below 64 years will be eligible for the post, but they have to meet all criteria, along with providing a medical fitness certificate, while making the application. However, any doctors who have a case of disciplinary action against him or her will not be able to apply for the post. Individuals facing a Rule 8 charge sheet or currently serving a major penalty under the Punjab Civil Service (Punishment & Appeal) Rules, 1970, are ineligible for contractual appointments, reports The Daily. Also Read:IGMC Shimla gets 3-Tesla MRI machine for heart patients: CM SukhuSelected doctors will be deployed at District Hospitals, Sub-Divisional Hospitals, and Community Health Centres, as per departmental norms. The department has warned that any unlawful activity, work, or misconduct by a contractual consultant will lead to immediate termination without notice, along with disqualification from further extensions. While lauding the government initiative to strategically address the issue of shortage of staff, Dr Akhil Sarin, President of the Punjab Civil Medical Services Association (PCMSA), has called for regular recruitments. He stated that instead of short-term measures, only permanent appointments can resolve the issue of staff crunch with effectiveness, reports TOI.

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