Govt nod to fill 1,085 posts in NMMC health centres

UPGRADE For the past 10 years, several posts from doctors to peons have been lying vacant

The state government on Friday gave the sanction for recruitment in the NMMC health department, a demand that had been pending for years.

A total of 1,085 posts will be filled up following the sanction giving a boost to the health infrastructure in the city.

The civic health services had in the past over one year deteriorated.

Despite three new hospitals at Airoli, Nerul and CBD Belapur being constructed, they are not yet fully functional. The Kopar Khairane and Turbhe mother and child hospitals have been shut as their dilapidated buildings were declared dangerous.

The residents are getting health services only from the NMMC FRU in Vashi and the urban health posts.

For the past almost 10 years, several posts from that of doctors to peons have been vacant. The civic administration had prepared a detailed proposal for recruitment of staff and sent to the state government for approval on July 17, 2015. It had written to the government that the 1,085 posts need to be filled at the earliest to provide efficient health services to the citizens.

Lack of adequate staff was hindering the start of the three new hospitals constructed at a cost of crores of rupees. Even the state of the art FACC ambulance has been lying unused for months.

MLA Manda Mhatre said, “The recruitment issue had been pending for 10 years. The administration had sent a detail request to the government for sanction. I met chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and apprised him of the situation.”

She added, “The government has been quick in responding to the need of the people and sanctioned the posts. It will be a boon for the people of the city in terms of health services.”

Municipal commissioner Dinesh Waghmare said, “The government has sanctioned the posts that we had asked for. It will help us further increase the efficiency of our health services and provide even better services to the people.”

CIVIC ADMINISTRATION HAD PREPARED A DETAILED PROPOSAL AND SENT TO THE STATE GOVT LAST YEAR