Srinagar, Feb 03 (KNO): Jammu and Kashmir's public healthcare system is facing a severe staffing crisis, with nearly 10,000 positions lying vacant across its medical colleges and health institutions, the government informed the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday.
In a written reply to the question raised by MLA Budgam Aga Muntazir Mehdi, Health and Medical Education Minister Sakeena Itoo said thousands of posts are lying vacant in the department, and the government is working to fill all vacancies.
According to the reply accessed by the news agency—Kashmir News Observer (KNO), Government Medical College (GMC) Baramulla has 431 vacant posts out of a sanctioned strength of 1,304, with only 873 positions currently filled. Similarly, GMC Anantnag is functioning with 424 vacancies out of 1,098 sanctioned posts, while GMC Rajouri is facing a shortage of 125 faculty members.
The situation is particularly grim at GMC Udhampur, where 668 posts are vacant out of a total sanctioned strength of 799, indicating that the institution is operating with a skeletal workforce. At GMC Handwara, the government acknowledged 37 vacant gazetted posts, in addition to hundreds of non-gazetted posts remaining unfilled.
In the Family Welfare Department, the minister said that out of 2,276 sanctioned posts, only 1,703 are in position, leaving 573 posts vacant.
The reply further revealed large-scale vacancies in the Directorate of Health Services, Kashmir (DHSK), where 388 gazetted posts and 2,797 non-gazetted posts are lying vacant, severely impacting primary and secondary healthcare services across the Valley.
Major tertiary care institutions are also affected. At GMC Jammu, the government reported 538 vacant gazetted posts and 904 non-gazetted posts, while GMC Srinagar is short of 434 gazetted and 174 non-gazetted staff.
At GMC Kathua, 288 posts remain vacant, including 84 gazetted and 204 non-gazetted positions.
Dental education is not immune either, with 57 posts vacant at Government Dental College, Jammu and 48 vacancies at Government Dental College, Srinagar.
In the Directorate of Health Services, Jammu (DHSJ), the government disclosed 1,489 vacancies, in addition to 116 other posts lying unfilled. Meanwhile, GMC Doda is facing shortages across multiple categories, with vacancies reported as 336 posts under different heads—(KNO)