MM : Govt to recruit over 1,000 BAMS doctors : Aug 27, 2007

Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery doctors will be recruited to be
posted at the staff-strapped state-run hospitals, health centres
RAVIKIRAN DESHMUKH

    To alleviate the acute shortage of doctors at state-run hospitals and
health centres, the public health department has decided to recruit over
1,000 Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) doctors.

    To speed up the recruitment process, the government will directly
appoint the doctors, setting aside the rule of recruitment through the
Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC),

    Minister for public health and family welfare Dr Vimal Mundada told
Mumbai Mirror that though BAMS doctors are currently on the payroll of the
government, their recruitment was restricted to 25 per cent in some of the
categories.

    The decision to recruit BAMS doctors is seen as an effort to negate the
public criticism that the government health centres and hospitals have no
required staff. Also, the step could be the fallout of the World
Bank-assisted Healthcare Improvement Programme.

    Recently, the government had to face an embarrassment when members of
the Maharashtra State Gazetted Medical Officers Association (MSGMOA) decided
to boycott 'Doctors in your village' programme, announced by Chief Minister
Vilasrao Deshmukh in his Independence Day speech on August 15, due to
non-availability of doctors.

    The government decided to recruit BAMS doctors bypassing MPSC based on a
'Karnataka Formula'.

    "We will prepare a list of candidates registered with the state
employment exchange and offer them a 10 year service bond," Dr Mundada said.
This will ensure availability of doctors for 10 years in the beginning, he
added. Karnataka offers Rs 8,000 fix pay for the recruits and after three
years they have the option to choose the service on a permanent basis.

    Currently, 2,169 posts of Medical Officers are still to be filled up by
the Maharashtra Public Service Commission (MPSC) and previously 904 posts
were never filled up. As per the current status, out of the sanctioned
strength of 1,275 Class-I posts, 630 posts are vacant; of 491 posts of
Class-II positions, 214 are vacant; and 1,194 posts from the category of
medical assistant are to be filled up.

The government will directly take in the doctors bypassing the Maharashtra
Public Service Commission


Publication:Mumbai Mirror ; Date:Aug 27, 2007; Section:City; Page Number:7

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