Srinagar, Sep 21 (KNS): The Jammu and Kashmir government is taking measures to strengthen healthcare delivery in remote and difficult areas, including Karnah, through recruitment, rational deployment and augmentation of medical and paramedical manpower, Health and Medical Education Minister Sakeena Itoo said on Monday.

Replying to a question raised by MLA Javaid Ahmad Mirchal during Question Hour in the Legislative Assembly regarding deployment of staff and augmentation of healthcare facilities in his constituency, Itoo said 480 Medical Officer (Allopathic) posts had been referred to the Jammu and Kashmir Public Service Commission (JKPSC).

Of these, 416 candidates have been recommended and 335 have been appointed so far, she said.

The Minister said the newly appointed doctors would be appropriately deployed, with priority given to peripheral, underserved, remote and difficult-area health institutions, including areas falling under the Additional/ALC category.

Itoo informed the House that 73 personnel engaged under the National Health Mission (NHM) are presently serving in the Karnah constituency.

She further said 466 non-gazetted posts under the Directorate of Health Services, Kashmir, had been referred to the recruiting agency for selection.

AYUSH doctors are posted at Primary Health Centre (PHC) Chiterkote, while paramedical staff is available at PHC Chiterkote, PHC Teetwal, PHC Panzgam and PHC Nachiyan, the Minister said.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel

She added that necessary internal arrangements were being made to ensure continuity of healthcare services at institutions where regular doctors are presently unavailable.

On the issue of staff attachments, Itoo clarified that no NHM staff member belonging to Block Tangdar and Karnah constituency is presently attached, deployed or posted outside their respective places of duty anywhere in Kupwara district.

The Minister said deployment of regular staff was being examined to ensure equitable distribution of available manpower and minimise shortages at peripheral and difficult-area health institutions.

She reiterated the government's commitment to ensuring optimum utilisation of human resources and uninterrupted healthcare delivery in Karnah and other difficult areas through rational deployment, recruitment against sanctioned vacancies and augmentation of manpower under approved NHM programmes.

These measures would be undertaken subject to applicable norms and availability of resources, she said.

The MLA also raised a supplementary question during the proceedings.