Date:05/05/2005 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2005/05/05/stories/2005050512730400.htm

Andhra Pradesh

980 doctors to be appointed to PHCs

Special Correspondent

Selections based on undertaking to work in rural areas for 10 years

HYDERABAD: The Government on Wednesday announced the list of candidates to fill 980 out of the 1,000 vacant posts of doctors for primary health centres in the State.

For the first time in the State's recruitment history, the selections have been made based on the undertaking given by them to work in the rural areas for 10 years. Transfer facility has been given within this group.

Releasing the list at a press conference, I. V. Subba Rao, principal secretary, Medical & Health, and G. Sai Gopal, director, Medical Education, said counselling would be held for the selected candidates from May 16 to 23 when the individual posting orders would be issued. By June 7, they would be posted at the PHCs. Of the 980 selected candidates, 594 are from among doctors already working on contract basis.

Mr. Rao said they would fill 1,200 out of the 1,900 vacant posts of nurses by this month-end. This would be through an arrangement under which the candidate would get 55 per cent of marks for basic qualification and the rest for previous experience on contract basis. Previous service in a tribal area would get them 15 marks a year, 12 marks in the case of villages and 10 marks for the urban areas.

Paramedical staff

The other requirement of PHCs being para-medical staff, the recruitment of these would be done soon after revising the existing policy so as to suit different categories--full-time, part-time and contract-based, he said.

There are 1,570 PHCs in the State but some of them are devoid of doctors for the past four to 10 years.

Following new appointments and supply of equipment, under the on-going Rs 100-crore scheme, doctors would be available from this year, Mr. Subba Rao said.

Mr. Rao also announced the Government's decision to separate teaching and medical cadre posts in line with a 1982 NGO to avoid the confusion prevalent due to the present mix-up of both as now.

As the first step, option forms would be issued from May 10 to the 9,000 government doctors to enable them to indicate their preference of working by May 25--teaching institution or hospital. None of the serving doctors would be removed.

The lists of the two categories would be published on July 1. Seniority lists would be prepared later.