In a decisive move to tackle a severe manpower crisis, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) has announced an immediate recruitment drive for 25 specialist doctors at the civic-run Kamala Nehru Hospital. The initiative is backed by a significant hike in monthly remuneration, now ranging between Rs 1.50 lakh and Rs 2.50 lakh, aimed at attracting qualified medical professionals.
Addressing Critical Healthcare Gaps
PMC Commissioner Naval Kishore Ram emphasized the civic body's duty to provide quality and affordable healthcare to underprivileged patients. He stated that extensive improvements are underway at the hospital, with the recruitment of specialists being a top priority. This decision comes after reports highlighted friction within the administration due to the persistent doctor shortage, which also led to the hospital facing censure from the National Medical Commission (NMC) for non-compliance.
New Recruitment Strategy and Specialties
Kalpana Baliwant, Assistant Health Officer at PMC, outlined the new strategy. She expressed optimism that the revised, competitive pay scale will help attract talent. The corporation plans to recruit specialists in four crucial fields: physicians, anaesthesiologists, gynaecologists, and paediatricians.
The recruitment will be conducted on a contractual basis. Initially, 24 doctors will be appointed for a 44-day contract. This contract can be renewed after a mandatory one-day break and can be extended for up to a total period of one year. This flexible model is designed to fill the vacancies swiftly while ensuring service continuity.
Root Cause and Resolution
The drastic salary revision directly addresses the root cause of previous recruitment failures—low response from doctors due to unattractive pay. The internal discord and inability of existing staff to meet patient needs or fulfill mandatory duty hours had crippled service delivery. The PMC's latest move is a direct effort to resolve these operational and compliance issues, ensuring the hospital can cater to the healthcare demands of Pune's citizens effectively.
