Will the Minister of HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE be pleased to state:
(a) the number of pharmacist posts reserved for Scheduled Tribes (STs) and the number of such posts lying vacant in hospitals across the country, State-wise including Jharkhand;
(b) whether 30 per cent posts of pharmacists reserved for STs in the hospitals in Jharkhand are lying vacant; and
(c) if so, the efforts being made by the Government to fill the said vacant posts?
ANSWER
THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND
FAMILY WELFARE
(SHRI ASHWINI KUMAR CHOUBEY)
(a) to (c): The information in respect of Pharmacist posts reserved for Schedule Tribes (STs) and lying vacant in hospitals across the country, is not maintained centrally. However, as per Rural Health Statistics - 2018, State/UT-wise status of availability of Pharmacists at Community Health Centres and Primary Health Centres in Tribal areas including in Jharkhand and vacancy thereof, is given at Annexure.
Public health and hospitals being a State subject, the primary responsibility to recruit/engage of healthcare professionals including Pharmacist lies with the respective State Government. However, under the National Health Mission (NHM), technical and financial support is provided to States/UTs to strengthen their healthcare systems including support for engagement of Pharmacist on contractual basis, based on the proposals made by the States/UTs in their Programme Implementation Plans (PIPs) within their overall resource envelope.
As per the information received from State Government of Jharkhand, total 606 posts have been sanctioned for the Pharmacist in Jharkhand, out of which 157 posts are reserved for STs. Only 30 Pharmacists are working against the said reserved post and rest are vacant and appointment rule of Pharmacist is under process.