SHILLONG: Specialists physicians opening up clinics in Shillong by ignoring their place of posting was flagged by Congress MLA, Himalaya Shangpliang.
He was raising a supplementary query on the vacant posts in CHCs and PHCs, government hospitals in the state.
Shangpliang said specialist doctors were not available in their place of posting and mostly found in Shillong in their clinics.
He called for stringent action against such doctors. To this, the Health and Family Welfare Minister AL Hek said the matter would be looked into.
Hek said there was a shortfall of 129 specialists’ doctors in the state.
As per the circulated reply, the numbers of vacancies in hospitals are East Khasi Hills- 42, West Khasi Hills- 15, Ri-Bhoi- 3, East Jaintia Hills – 8, West Jaintia Hills – 1, East Garo Hills – 7, West and South Garo Hills-12, South West Garo Hills- 11.
There are six numbers of vacancies each in the CHCs of East Khasi Hills, West Jaintia Hills and West Garo Hills.
Shangpliang asked how many NGOs are running the hospital to which Hek said no NGO is running the hospital. When asked on the number NGOs running the PHCs and CHCs, Hek said he did not have the figures ready.
He did not even have the figure of doctors who are on deputation for Post Graduate courses when query was raised about it.
Congress MLA Miani D. Shira asked about the strategy employed by the government to fill up vacancies, Hek said an MoU had been signed with Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI) to provide training to doctors.
In reply to a supplementary query by Congress MLA Ampareen Lyngdoh, Hek said the PHFI is recognised by the Medical Council of India (MCI).
Miani asked about the short term plan since the MoU signed with PHFI is a long term strategy, Hek said for short term course, the department had written to North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS).
