TIRUCHI
The Divisional Railway Hospital in Tiruchi, which is providing treatment for serving railway employees and their dependents, besides retired railwaymen affected by COVID-19, would soon be engaging some medical practitioners on contract basis for COVID-19 treatment and management at the hospital, over and above the sanctioned strength.
The plan was to engage seven contract medical practitioners for the post of General Duty Medical Officers at the railway hospital as per the direction of the Railway Board, New Delhi. Having received applications from the candidates by e-mail earlier, the interview through online was conducted on Tuesday here by the Medical Department of the Tiruchi Railway Division to select the candidates.
The interview was held online as complete lockdown was clamped in the State in the wake of spike in COVID-19 cases. As many as 118 candidates attended the interview which was held throughout the day, a senior railway official told The Hindu .
The interview was only for one day and conducted by a three-member committee consisting of the Chief Medical Superintendent, Divisional Railway Hospital, Senior Divisional Finance Manager and Divisional Personnel Officer. The seven candidates who had been selected will be issued appointment orders shortly.
The candidates who were interviewed were from across the South Indian States, the official said. As per the notification for the post of General Duty Medical Officer, the candidate should possess a qualified MBBS degree and should have registered with the Indian Medical Council.
The seven General Duty Medical Officers were expected to be deployed on duty next week at the hospital which has a team of 19 railway doctors at present. Each of the selected General Duty Medical Officers would be paid a monthly remuneration of ₹ 75,000 by the railway administration, the official further said. The engagement of the contract medical practitioners was for a temporary period up to March 2022 or till the COVID-19 pandemic continues whichever was earlier.
The selected practitioners would assist the regular doctors of the railway hospital exclusively for COVID-19 treatment, the official further said. The Divisional Railway Hospital situated in Ponmalai area has a separate COVID-19 ward with 55 patients presently undergoing treatment.
A COVID Care Centre has been opened at the Multi Disciplinary Zonal Training Institute of the Southern Railway situated near the Tiruchi railway junction for those railway employees and their dependents who had tested positive for the viral infection.
About 50 persons were currently housed at the COVID Care Centre where doctors and a team of para-medical staff had been posted to monitor them. Food for the COVID-19 affected persons at the COVID Care Centre was being arranged through the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation Limited with the cost being borne by the respective individuals.
The Divisional Railway Hospital which had created facilities for treating patients afflicted with the viral infection had engaged some medical practitioners on contract basis last year when the COVID-19 pandemic struck. It has also been administering COVID -19 vaccine to serving railway employees, their dependents and ex-railwaymen.
