Govt to appoint 4,340 doctors

July 16, 2011, Patna: The state health department is set to appoint 4,340 doctors including specialists and medical college teachers both on regular as well as on contractual basis to fill the vacant posts of doctors in the state.

The government has also decided to set up two nursing colleges in the state - one at Indira Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences (IGIMS) having 100 seats and another at Kurji Holy Family Hospital with 50 seats. The health department would soon create 30,000 posts of nurses and auxiliary nurse and midwives (ANMs) as at present there exist only 4,500 nurses in the state, according to principal secretary, health, Amarjeet Sinha.

On opening of new medical colleges in the state, Sinha said, "All formalities have been completed regarding opening of a new medical college at IGIMS, for which admission process would be rolled out shortly."

Advertisements have been issued for regular appointment of 1,510 doctors through Bihar Public Service Commission (BPSC) while 1,600 more specialists would be appointed on regular basis for which BPSC has been sent a requisition, said Amarjeet Sinha on Thursday.

Sinha stated that the appointment of another 373 specialist doctors through BPSC is halfway through as appointment process in anaesthesia and paediatrics departments had already been completed while those in surgery and gynaecology are underway. Apart from this, 464 senior residents in different government medical colleges would be appointed while appointment of 393 doctors in the rank of assistant professors would also be made shortly for which cabinet nod has already been received, Sinha said.

The state government has also increased the maximum age limit for appointment of doctors from the current 37 to 40 years under the general category. Cabinet has given its nod for the purpose, Sinha said, adding a specialist sub-cadre category would also be created in the state.

Sinha said three hospitals in Patna would be upgraded as specialised autonomous institutes. They are Rajbanshi Nagar Hospital (orthopaedic), Rajendra Nagar Hospital (eye) and Gardiner Road Hospital (endocrine). A model blood bank would also be set up at Jaiprabha Hopital at Kankarbagh, Patna.

Regarding implementation of Medical Professional and Establishment Protection Act (MPEPA) in Bihar, Sinha said the related bill would be tabled in the next assembly session. Clinical Establishment Act would also be enforced in the state soon, for which talks are underway with the Indian Medical Association (IMA) and other concerned parties.

To streamline the functioning of district hospitals, Sinha said shortly, evening OPD would be introduced at all district hospitals in the state, while meals would be provided to patients at primary health centres.