Health mission calls out to “heroes” in desperate bid to fill vacancies

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Jan Arogya
National Health Mission

The flagship National Health Mission launches recruitment drive

Taking cues from the recruitment tag lines of the Armed Forces, National Health Mission (NHM) has launched a provocative, glitzy ad campaign to fill vacancies. With an annual budget of close to Rs 40,000 cr, NHM is the flagship health mission.

“HR heroes” tells potential recruits “discover the hero in you”. It also features some who are already in saddle for the tough jobs of doctors, nurses, pharmacists, districts managers etc. District manager Subhasini Tirkey of Jharkhand and Dr Saqib Hussain of Uttarakhand feature in two of the ads that have been circulated to states as a template for their own state/local “heroes”.

Of 5624 posts of radiologists, 3629 are vacant. Of the 31,274 posts of pharmacists 7092 are vacant and of the 65018 nursing staff positions, 13194 are vacant

NHM mission directorate has also written to all states to customise the campaign. “The NHM country wide HR Heroes campaign was initiated with the objective to attract  and retain quality skilled human resource in the health system…These will also enable you to reach professionals with the right attitude along with the skills, and at the same time boost the morale of the currently engaged human resources for health (HRH),” additional secretary and mission director Manoj Jhalani wrote to states in a letter dated June 28.

The ads are interestingly worded. “It takes a special kind or person to work in the remote areas of Jammu and Kashmir, near the international line of control. Someone who is passionate about taking quality medical services to those who need them most, whatever the odds. In other words, a real hero,” says the glitzy ad for recruitment of district managers in Jammu.

There are huge numbers of vacancies in NHM in all roles. Rural Health Statistics 2017 shows that of the 25650 sanctioned posts of doctors, 3027 are vacant, of the 5624 surgeons posts 4866 are vacant. For 5624 posts of obstetricians/gynaecologists and physicians each, 4170 and 4760 are respectively vacant. Of 5624 posts of radiologists, 3629 are vacant. Of the 31,274 posts of pharmacists 7092 are vacant and of the 65018 nursing staff positions, 13194 are vacant.