Dehradun, Oct 21: Admitting that there was a huge shortage of doctors in Uttranchal, the state's Health Minister Tilak Raj Behad today said the state would recruit 500 medicos on contract basis to cope with the situation. According to Behad, dozens of hospitals in the state, were not manned by doctors and nearly there was shortage of nearly one third male doctors.

Out of 1261 sanctioned posts of male doctors 421 posts are lying vacant where as in case of 153 posts of lady doctors, 19 were vacant. The minister conceded that in 15 hospitals of Pithorgarh, 10 in Pauri Garhwal and 3 in Chamoli district there were no doctors or even pharmacists and in their absence employees like sweepers were attending the patients.

The government is trying its best to improve the situation by appointing 500 new doctors on contract basis, he said. Bureau Report