The State government will hire specialists on contract basis to fill up vacant posts in government hospitals as a temporary measure, said U.T. Khader, Minister for Health and Family Welfare.
Addressing presspersons here on Monday, Mr. Khader said the government had initiated the process of filling up vacant posts of specialists on a permanent basis through Karnataka Public Service Commission.
Many specialists, who have served in government earlier or have done private practice, have evinced interest in serving at government hospitals, he said.
Mr. Khader said doctors below the age of 65 would be employed on contract, with a salary offer of Rs. 50,000 per month if they served at the hospital the whole day. If they worked for a few hours in a day then they would be paid Rs. 5,000 per patient.
Mr. Khader said the first among those who have offered their services in this manner was Dr. Umesh G. Jadav, Congress MLA from Chincholi Assembly constituency, he said.
The Minister said the Deputy Commissioners and District Health Officers had been given the power to hire specialists.
Radiology call centresMr. Khader said the State would shortly start 10 call centres to be manned by radiologists who, by using telemedicine medium, would scan x-rays of patients from different parts of the State and give reports. Technicians will undergo training in Radio therapy. This was being done at government hospitals where radiologists’ posts were vacant, he said.
The Minister said the government had proposed a hike of 10 per cent in the salary of doctors, nurses and other staff working on contract basis under the National Rural Health Mission. The hiked salary would be paid from December, he said.
