The Haryana government revealed a staggering shortage of healthcare professionals in the state, with 5,384 sanctioned posts lying vacant across critical medical and paramedical categories. This information was officially tabled in the state legislative assembly, the Vidhan Sabha, on Thursday by Health Minister Aarti Singh in response to a query from INLD's Rania MLA, Arjun Chautala.
Scale of the Vacancy Crisis in Key Roles
Out of a total sanctioned strength of 21,296 positions, only 15,912 are currently filled. This represents a vacancy rate of over 25%, creating significant pressure on the existing healthcare infrastructure, particularly in rural and semi-urban areas. The data exposes acute shortages in frontline roles:
- 777 posts for Medical Officers are vacant.
- 219 Senior Medical Officer positions are unfilled.
- The state is short of 706 Male Multipurpose Health Workers (MPHWs) and 597 Female MPHWs.
- 488 Staff Nurse posts are empty.
Specialised Cadres and District-Wise Disparities
The crisis extends to specialised technical staff, with 438 Laboratory Technician posts, 385 Pharmacy Officer posts, 105 Radiographer posts, and 194 Dental Assistant-cum-Mechanic posts remaining vacant. Some senior supervisory roles are entirely unstaffed due to a lack of eligible candidates under current service rules. All 33 posts for Chief Nursing Officer are vacant, along with 111 Public Health Nurse and 23 Assistant Matron positions.
The district-wise data reveals a starkly uneven distribution of the shortage. While Panchkula district has an excess of 17 Medical Officers against its sanctioned strength, other districts face crippling deficits. Karnal has the highest shortfall, with 121 of its 268 Medical Officer posts vacant. Hisar, Jind, Yamunanagar, and Kaithal also report high vacancies for doctors.
Government's Response and Interim Measures
Facing tough questions in the assembly, the Haryana government stated that the process to fill these vacancies is underway. Requisitions have been sent to the Haryana Staff Selection Commission (HSSC), the Haryana Public Service Commission (HPSC), and departmental selection committees.
To prevent a complete breakdown of services, the government has made alternative arrangements by deploying staff through the National Health Mission (NHM), HKRN, apprentices, and other contractual sources. This stop-gap measure aims to ensure health services are not disrupted, but it underscores the long-term challenge of filling permanent positions with qualified personnel.
The revelation has sparked concerns about the sustainability and quality of healthcare delivery in the state, with contractual appointments often seen as a temporary fix for a deep-rooted structural issue in public health staffing.
