Jahangeer Ganaie
Srinagar, Nov 9: Newly appointed doctors in Jammu and Kashmir have expressed dissatisfaction over being posted far from their native areas. They have questioned the Health and Medical Education Department’s human resource management practices and called for urgent intervention by the Health Minister and Secretary of Health.
Several newly appointed doctors expressed frustration over their assignments, which have placed them in far-flung areas, often hundreds of kilometres away from their hometowns. Doctors from regions like Anantnag, Pulwama, Ganderbal and other districts are being posted to far-off locations such as Banihal, Kulgam, Baramulla and other distant places, even when vacancies exist in their own or neighbouring districts.
“This reflects poor planning and lack of practical knowledge in the Health Department,” one doctor, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said. “Posting a doctor from Anantnag to Banihal or Ganderbal to Baramulla, when there are vacancies in adjacent districts, creates unnecessary inconvenience. Many of us are opting for higher education opportunities such as post-graduation and super-speciality training, and these long-distance postings make it nearly impossible to manage both.”
Doctors expressed concern that such far-off postings could also negatively affect patient care. “When a doctor has to travel 100-200 kilometres daily, there is always the risk of delays in reaching the duty station on time. This could disrupt health services, which are already stretched thin,” another doctor added. “Managing long commutes with a meagre salary of Rs 70,000- Rs 80,000, alongside highway tolls, will only reduce the quality of care we can provide.”
Many doctors said that the traditional practice of posting doctors closer to their native or neighbouring districts had worked well in the past and ensured that medical professionals could provide better care and continue with their academic pursuits without much personal hardship. Such postings could lead to a shortage of doctors, as many may choose not to join the department, which results in a backlog of unfilled positions and further strain on the healthcare system, they said.
Some doctors raised issues regarding the implementation of reservation quotas. Doctors from reserved categories, including Reserved Backward Area (RBA), Scheduled Tribes (ST), Actual Line of Control (ALC), and Other Backward Classes (OBC), have been posted in general areas, which they argue contradicts the reservation policies. “Doctors who have been selected through reservation quotas for their qualifications—whether in MBBS, post-graduation or PSC exams—should be posted in the areas meant for their categories,” one doctor said.
The newly appointed medical professionals also raised concerns about the impact of such distant postings on their personal lives, with many finding it difficult to balance familial responsibilities and adjust to new, often challenging, environments.
The aggrieved doctors have now appealed to the authorities to reconsider their postings. They have urged the intervention of Sakeena Itoo, the Minister for Health and Medical Education, and the Secretary of the Health and Medical Education Department to address their concerns and ensure better healthcare delivery across the region.
