Metro India News | amaravati

Andhra Pradesh's Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Satyakumar Yadav, has instructed the officials to take up the recruitment of 7,000 to 8,000 medical and paramedical staff to address the current shortage in the state's healthcare sector. The directive follows a detailed review of the department's staffing needs and service delivery, conducted by the Minister with senior officials on Friday.

The Minister emphasized that the recruitment drive is aimed at improving the quality of medical services provided to the public. He pointed out that despite the approval of over 1 lakh posts in the health department, nearly 26,263 positions remain vacant.

This represents a 25.97% shortfall in the total sanctioned posts. The shortage is particularly significant in the areas of doctors, with a gap of 21.41%, and paramedical staff, which stands at 26.78%.

Speaking at the meeting, the minister urged for a shift in approach, emphasizing the need for new ideas and a more accountable attitude towards improving healthcare services under various government schemes.

Addressing the concerns over staff shortages, the Minister noted that critical staff gaps exist across government hospitals. There is a 37.04% staff shortage in district hospitals, a 28.96% shortage in primary healthcare centers, and a staggering 63.40% shortfall in Ayurvedic, Homeopathic, and Unani hospitals. The Minister expressed concern over the previous government's neglect of traditional medicine systems like Homeopathy, Ayurveda, and Unani, calling it an unfortunate oversight.

In terms of recruitment, the Minister instructed that a detailed action plan be created to fill the vacancies, prioritizing areas with the most urgent needs. He also pointed out that some positions previously advertised by the former government had been canceled, while new posts had been created to better align with contemporary requirements.

In light of rising non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as diabetes, hypertension, and cancer, the minister called for immediate public awareness campaigns to promote hygiene, healthy living, and proper dietary habits. He suggested involving prominent community leaders and organizations in spreading awareness to prevent these diseases.