Daily Times

UMERKOT: More than fifty percent of doctors’ posts and the staff nurses of 16-19 grades are lying vacant in government hospitals in District Umerkot.

According to the documents available to Daily Times, as many as 141 posts of doctors and staff nurses of 16-19 grades are lying vacant against 276 sanctioned positions in four tehsil headquarters hospitals (THQ) that include district headquarter hospital (DHQ) Umerkot, Kunri, Pithoro and Samaro.

The statistics also show that the district, with an approximate population of 1.2 million, has not a single gynecologist. There are alsoapa large number of administrative posts which also lying vacant. With 9 vacant posts at administrative level, Umerkot THQ which was merged in DHQ was operating with 46 vacancies against 77 sanctioned posts. While, in THQ Kunri 30 posts are lying vacant against 43, in THQ Samaro 33 are lying vacant against 43, and in THQ Pithoro 32 posts are vacant against 45. The vacant positions include gynecologists, pediatricians, eye specialist, pathologist, women medical officers, radiologists, anesthetists, surgeons and chest specialists.

It is estimated that each THQ is dealing with more than 600 out-patients on daily basis.

When contacted, Dr Karmoon, district health officer Umerkot he said that they have written to the concerned authorities to fill the vacant posts and soon he would be replied to cope the challenge. He further added that the Sindh public service commission has passed many doctors in the tests, so the shortage of them would be fulfilled with their recruitment.