Asking the state government to “stop playing with human lives”, the Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) public grievances cell (PGC) has demanded immediate deployment of medical staff in health centres and hospitals as per Personnel & Administrative Reforms (P&AR) rules. In a press release, NPCC PGC appealed to every right-thinking organization to support its cause keeping in mind that there were no doctors in almost every CHC, PHC and district hospitals putting the lives of people in rural areas at risk every day.
PGC pointed out that on June 23, 2020 there was a post creation of 186 posts—15 post of Specialist, 44 medical officers, 11 ayush medical officers, three dental surgeons, six research scientists, 78 staff nurses, six lab technicians, 10 ECG technicians, 13 OT technicians.
Later, PGC said the health department came up with an advertisement of 195 post vacancies through order No. HWF(A) COVID-19/ APPT 13/17/2020, which included post creation and existing vacancies with a clear notice that those appointments would be temporary until filled through NPSC.
However, it said the department again came up with a special recruitment drive on November 2, 2022, for 329 posts through the approval of the cabinet-vide No. CAB/2013, dated June 26, 2022, wherein 175 marks out off 487.5 were to be awarded to those employees who were working on contracts, depriving other aspirants from free and fair examination and bypassing the rule laid down by P&AR. NPCC grievances cell stated that some aggrieved student associations like combined technical associations of Nagaland (CTAN) were against the special recruitment drive. It said that aggrieved aspirant of doctors from dental and ayush branch have also filed a court case against the special recruitment drive.
According to NPCC grievances cell, petitioners of doctors were ready to withdraw the court case if the department go as per the P&AR rule.
NPCC public grievances cell has, therefore, demanded immediate intervention of the state government and not to compromise with the precious lives and health of citizens. Failing to comply with the demand, the grievances cell cautioned that it would resort to own course of action.