New Delhi: Facing an acute shortage of
doctors for its combat men, the government is recruiting over
550 specialists for paramilitary forces as it re-structured
the medical policy enhancing the facilities to the families of
the personnel.
The government has re-organised the medical wings of the
forces with almost eight lakh personnel on the lines of the
Central Government Health Services (CGHS) which ensures
quality treatment for the individuals and their families, a
senior para-military officer said.
Specialist doctors in various streams of medicine like
surgery and gynaecology are being recruited by the central
forces as the troops are not only involved in round-the-clock
security related duties but also a large chunk of them are
deployed for anti-naxal and counter-insurgency operations.
The forces are filing up 259 vacancies for specialist
medical officers, 283 posts for medical officers and 18 posts
for dental surgeons in the forces like BSF, CRPF, SSB, Assam
Rifles and ITBP, the officer said.
There is a possibility of vacancies going up as
requirements from the forces are being received continuously
by the medical board constituted in this regard.
"The present strength of the medical cadre in such forces
is not sufficient as the troops are being deployed extensively
for internal security duties. With the focus on anti-naxal and
counter-insurgency operations, the requirement to have
specialist doctors has been felt," the officer said.
The vacancies are in the streams of medicine, surgery,
obstetrics and gynaecology, anaesthesia, radiology, pathology,
psychiatry, paediatrics and orthopaedics.
The new medical officers will be given the combat ranks
of Deputy Commandants and Assistant Commandants and can serve
the forces for at least ten years with a two-year probation
period.
"The doctors will accompany the battalions and units
that move into operational areas. The attempt is to expedite
medical facilities to men who get injured during action or
otherwise. Heavy duty can only be done when there are good
healthcare facilities," the officer said.
The move to get fresh doctors recruited in the forces
assumes significance as the Home Ministry is also in the
process of raising a strength equivalent to 123 new battalions
which would be coming up in the next two-three years.
Each battalion of the forces will have about 1,100
personnel and hence the total number of youngsters, including
women cadre to be recruited, would be over 1.35 lakh.
PTI
