CM Usman Buzdar given list of vacancies of professors, registrars, dentists, nurses, paramedics in Punjab

ISLAMABAD: A complete picture of vacant positions of professors, registrars, nurses and paramedics in the major hospitals run by the Punjab government has been presented to Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar.

Acting on the elaborate list, he approved hiring of 10,000 doctors on ad hoc basis by relaxing rules in view of the coronavirus pandemic, a senior official told The News.

A summary, a copy of which is available with this correspondent, moved to the chief minister, contained complete details of all 19,507 vacant posts. It was meant to seek his permission to recruit doctors and health professionals on ad hoc basis through walk-in interviews in the Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education (SHC&ME) Department due to COVID-19 pandemic.

The summary submitted that the pandemic of coronavirus has emerged in Pakistan and is also affecting various areas of the Punjab. In this regard, to deal with this menace the SHC&ME is making its utmost efforts. However, due to shortage of health professionals/doctors in its autonomous medical institutions/teaching hospitals, managing the affairs of patients is becoming more difficult, the summary said.

According to it, as many as 343 posts of professors are vacant against 668 sanctioned posts. A total of 325 professors are currently working. Similarly, the associate professors have the sanctioned strength of 838. Of them, 423 posts are vacant while 415 associate professors are working.

Likewise, the positions of 423 assistant professors are vacant against their sanctioned strength of 1,403. As many as 920 assistant professors are in service now. A total of 1,057 posts of senior registrars are lying vacant against their sanctioned positions of 2,224. As many as 1,167 senior registrars are now working.

Similarly, the sanctioned strength of nurses is 18,388. Of them, the vacant positions are 3,505 while 14,883 nurses are currently in service.

As far as the general doctors are concerned, their sanctioned strength is 16,848. Out of them, 9,511 posts are vacant whereas 7,337 such doctors are working. The paramedics have a sanctioned force of 14,444. Of them, 11,023 are working while 3,421 positions are vacant. The specialist doctors have a sanctioned strength of 1,132 positions. Of them, 409 are working whereas 723 posts are vacant.

Likewise, forty-one posts of dentists are vacant. This category has a sanctioned strength of 205 positions. As many as 164 dentists are now in service. The overall statistics shows that there are a total of 56,150 sanctioned posts with 19,507 existing vacancies and 36,843 positions stand filled.

The summary said a national (and international) crisis is looming large and immediate steps are required to be taken to save maximum human lives. It said the need is immediate and the urge to keep human lives supreme over the rigmarole of rules at this important juncture of the human history. Therefore, if rules are to be relaxed, they may be relaxed accordingly in the best public interest, it added.