By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Aug 21: The Health department will recruit doctors and nurses on contractual basis to address the shortfall of manpower in the government-run hospitals across the state.
Revealing this after a review meeting with the MLAs from East Khasi Hills held at the State Convention Centre here on Monday, Health Minister Ampareen Lyngdoh said the department is working out the details to push for the appointment of contractual doctors.
According to her, an advertisement has been issued for the recruitment of 288 staff nurses on contractual basis for a period of one year.
“We are looking to complete the recruitment of the nurses on contractual basis at the earliest,” Lyngdoh said.
Out of the 288 staff nurses to be recruited, 174 will be for East Khasi Hills, seven for West Khasi Hills, 10 for Eastern West Khasi Hills, 19 for South West Khasi Hills, six for Ri-Bhoi, 14 for West Jaintia Hills, 10 for East Jaintia Hills, 24 for West Garo Hills, five for East Garo Hills, 10 for South Garo Hills and nine for South West Garo Hills districts.
Lyngdoh said the department is looking at the option of regularising doctors appointed under 3 (f) at the moment.
Meanwhile, she said they had discussed the need of the department. She said the MLAs will work in close coordination to ensure better health care delivery system for the citizens of the state.
She said the MLAs highlighted issues such as lack of infrastructure, manpower and short supply of medicines in primary health centres, community health centres and sub health centres.
Lyngdoh said the government has set up an independent agency ‘Meghalaya Medical Drugs and Services Limited’ to address the perennial problem of non-availability of essential medicines and lack of medical/surgical equipment.
“We will ensure that medicines are delivered to the PHCs and the CHCs within five days of their indent,” she said.
Lyngdoh, also the agriculture minister, discussed the implementation of various agricultural schemes as well with the MLAs.
“We deliberated to give special focus to the agriculture sector to help create employment and job opportunities,” she said.