Shortage of doctors: Selected candidates await ‘final order’

Our Reporter
Dimapur June 8 (EMN): The directorate of Health and Family Welfare had, on April 7, advertised for 28 vacant posts of medical officers and junior specialists, to be recruited on contingency basis for a period of 12 months.

Speaking to Eastern Mirror, one of the applicants said that last month, some of them had received SMS from the authority concerned, informing that they have been selected for an interview via video conference on May 24.

A couple of days later, the applicant received another message containing the list of selected candidates, ‘but nothing was issued officially, and till date, we have not been informed anything by the authority concerned.’

According to sources, 27 out of 28 were selected for the vacant posts advertised on April 7.

Further the applicant, who was among the selected candidates, shared that the department should inform them as to when they should join, so that all formalities with the current hospital they are working with can be cleared.

“We would appreciate it if we were not kept in the dark as we are ready to render our services; the urgency for doctors in Nagaland is of priority at the moment, and I hope they can confirm at the earliest,” said the applicant.

Moreover, in the latest message that the selected applicants received last month, it was mentioned that the contingency period was of six months, which contradicted the advertisement on April 7, said the applicant.

Commissioner and Secretary for Health and Family Welfare, Ahola Those, informed this newspaper that it was ‘actually approved for six months’ but they have requested the department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (P&AR) to review it for one year and once the P&AR clears it, they would take the decision.

Principal Director of Health and Family Welfare, Dr. Vizolie Z Suokhrie also informed that the duration would be for 12 months.

According to him, ‘it was cleared on June 8 by the authority concerned’.

On June 8, the department issued another notice inviting applicants to ‘fill existing vacancies of 36 posts of medical officers and junior specialists’, for a period of 12 months.

“The only difference we noticed from the first ad is that selected candidates have to join within seven days according to the latest notice,” said one applicant and added that if both are valid, the total posts vacant are 64.

When queried if both notices stand as issued, Suokhrie replied that the they were different. He informed that most of the selected candidates that applied for the first ad have ‘already started coming in.’

The director, on being asked how selected candidates can report for duty without a formal letter being sent to them, informed that most of them have received the information and the department would inform the rest soon.

“A formal order will be sent today (June 9) or in the coming days,” said Suokhrie.