Health Minister Says 90% Doctor Vacancies In Tribal Areas Filled

VIJAYAWADA: Medical and Health minister Satya Kumar Yadav underlined that the state government has filled 90 per cent of the doctor vacancies in tribal areas. He assured that the remaining posts will soon be filled.

The minister informed the AP Legislative Assembly on Tuesday that the coalition government has given top priority to filling the vacancies of doctors in the tribal belt. Out of 306 civil assistant surgeon posts sanctioned in 153 Primary Health Centres (PHCs), 131 of the 138 vacant positions (90 per cent) have been filled over the past five months. Recruitment for the remaining posts is under progress.

Satya Kumar admitted that posts of doctors are falling vacant due to retirements and resignations. “To fill these vacancies, we are even conducting walk-in interviews and promoting doctors to ensure that healthcare is not disrupted. Nearly 250 in-service doctors pursuing PG courses will return in November. They will be deployed in needy hospitals across the state,” the minister stated.

Explaining the situation in Prakasam district, he said the previous government’s decision to upgrade Markapur Government Hospital into a teaching hospital had led to confusion and shortage of doctors as well as facilities. He affirmed that the present coalition government has decided to establish a 625-bed medical college in Markapur under the Public-Private Partnership model to strengthen healthcare and medical education in the region.

Satya Kumar Yadav announced that steps are being taken to upgrade hospitals at Kanigiri, Kovvur and Buchireddypalem. He said for cardiac care, the government has introduced the STEMI (ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction) protocol, offering free injection-based treatment worth ₹45,000 each to heart attack patients. So far, 4,000 critical patients have recovered under this initiative.

The minister asserted that maternal mortality rate has come down from 38.8 per cent to 30 per cent following the measures taken by the coalition government.

Responding to another query, he announced that community health officers (CHOs) will be given weightage in staff nurse recruitment. He pointed out that 9,640 CHOs are currently working in village health clinics across the state, each receiving ₹25,000 per month along with performance incentives of up to ₹15,000, which are higher compared to other states.

Satya Kumar Yadav said the state government is releasing incentives promptly, unlike in the past. However, since 2024, the state has not been receiving adequate funds from the centre to provide provident fund benefits to CHOs. A letter has been sent to the union government in June seeking the release of all funds.

The minister clarified that under the National Health Mission guidelines, CHOs work on a contractual basis and their services cannot be regularised. However, the state will ensure they are given preference when recruiting permanent staff nurses.