In a bid to tackle rising coronavirus cases, the Punjab government will fill over 4,000 posts in the health, medical education and research departments. According to an official release, the decision was taken during a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Amarinder Singh in Chandigarh on Tuesday.
Of 3,954 posts in the health department, 2,966 will be filled in the first phase. The remaining 988 falling vacant on September 30 will be filled in the next phase.
The government will also make recruitment against 291 vacant positions in the medical education and research department.
The vacant posts included that of medical officers (general), medical officers (dental), staff nurses, pharmacists (pharmacy officer), multipurpose health workers, radiographers and dialysis technicians.
The cabinet also gave approval to continue with the recruitment of medical officers (specialists) to be conducted by a special selection committee through a walk-in interview.
Likewise, the cabinet gave nod for the hiring of doctors, paramedics and other staff to be done through Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Faridkot, by taking the recruitment out of the purview of the Punjab Public Service Commission (PPSC) and the Punjab Subordinate Services Selection Board (PSSSB).
The decision of filling these posts through the Faridkot university has been taken in view of an acute urgency amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
In another decision, the cabinet accorded approval to retain the junior residents passing out after completing their three-year postgraduation as senior residents (ad hoc) for one year against the bond given by them.
The cabinet also decided to recruit 32 assistant professors (anaesthesia) on contract for one year and seven super specialist doctors on a regular basis.