Breakdown in peripheral services: Health Ministry replies

The Healthcare and Nutrition Ministry referring to our news appeared in page 15 under the headline 'Warns of break down in peripheral services' states:

This refers to the news caption appearing in your Newspaper under the above subject. This news item might create an erroneous impression that there was a delay on the part of the Ministry. The factual position is given below.

This Ministry has taken early action to advertise the vacancies for the post intern Medical Officers who completed the internship on 19.03.2005. The prepared vacancy list was sent to all health institutions to enable the post intern medical officers to submit their applications.

As it is necessary to obtain the concurrence from the Governors of the provinces, the same list was also posted to the respective Governors of the provinces. The Ministry received the concurrence from the Governors, but the last one was received only on 29.11.2005. This list could only be sent to PSC approval along with this concurrence.

The Ministry, meanwhile was ready to post interns to these selected stations on 12.12.2005, the earliest date possible, pending PSC approval, but some of the post interims in the same list have filed a case in the Supreme Court.

The Ministry is unable to process the appointments any further due to this. Other than these procedural delays, The Ministry did not take any decision to delay or suspend the proposed appointments to the 750 post interns as appearing in your Newspaper."