Steps are being taken to recruit nearly 800 doctors through the Medical Services Recruitment Board (MRB) to augment human resources at government hospitals in the State, according to officials of the Health Department.
Officials of the Department said that initially, 800 MBBS graduates would be recruited for COVID-19 management. The Department has already written to the MRB to take the required measures.
“We need more doctors, especially young persons. We had posted 200 medical officers on deputation from the Directorate of Public Health and Preventive Medicine to the Greater Chennai Corporation. We are recruiting additionally to replace these 200 doctors,” an official said.
In a communication to the MRB, the Health Department highlighted the need to urgently fill vacancies in human resources, especially doctors, nurses and paramedical staff. Augmentation of personnel was necessary to maintain the level of care at government facilities, especially in view of an unexpected surge in COVID-19 cases, it said.
According to official COVID-19 data on human resources, as on March 1, the Directorate of Medical Education (DME) had 6,871 doctors, 8,158 nurses, 1,404 laboratory technicians and 15,433 multi-purpose workers. With personnel being recruited, including on contract basis, for COVID-19, the DME brought in 1,430 doctors, 3,504 nurses, 203 lab technicians and 859 multi-purpose health workers.
As of September 4, the DME had 8,301 doctors and 11,662 nurses. In the future, the Health Department plans to recruit another 1,500-odd doctors and 1,300 nurses as well as laboratory technicians and multi-purpose health workers.
Similarly, the DPH has around 300 vacant posts of assistant surgeons (regular), and requires nearly 1,000 assistant surgeons on outsourcing basis, as per official data.