Promote eligible doctors to posts of Civil Surgeon, HCMS urges Addl Chief Secy

The Haryana Civil Medical Services (HCMS) Association has raised concerns regarding assigning additional charge of Civil Surgeon to officials holding posts of Director, Health Services, and has sought timely promotions of the eligible persons to fill the vacant posts.

Association members recently submitted a representation to the Additional Chief Secretary, Health, and raised concerns regarding the additional charges being given and pending promotions of the doctors. The association has stated that nearly 17 posts of Civil Surgeons (CS) or Principal Medical Officers (PMOs) are lying vacant in the state and many eligible doctors have been awaiting promotion for long.

The association has requested the ACS to curb such practices of assigning charge of two posts to a single officer so that doctors in HCMS cadre, who already have skewed chances of promotion, are not further deprived of their promotional avenues.

An association member, on the condition of anonymity, said “Earlier this year, three officials who were promoted to the posts of Director Health Services in the department were again given the additional charges of civil surgeons in the state, causing strong resentment among the association members. The post of Civil Surgeon is among the important posts in the district and the department, and assigning additional charge of Civil Surgeon to a Director may lead to administrative delays and operational inefficiencies in managing health services, ultimately impacting the quality of healthcare delivery in critical regions. Holding dual charges at senior administrative levels will not only overburden the individual but can also result in compromised attention in the districts.”

“The posts of civil surgeons and PMOs are lying vacant and instead of making new promotions, additional charges are being given and officials are being shifted from one district to other. Recently the Principal Medical Officer of Ambala Cantonment Hospital was transferred to Karnal as Civil Surgeon, leaving the post of PMO in Ambala Cantonment vacant. Additional charge of PMO was given to another doctor here”, he said.

Haryana Civil Medical Services Association president Dr Rajesh Khyalia, said: “Assigning of dual responsibility of two different hierarchical posts to a single officer was unprecedented and unwarranted trend. This will further narrow down the existing scanty promotional avenues in the cadre resulting into stagnation and thus demoralise the HCMS cadre. The association has raised the matter with the ACS, Health, and he has assured the association of taking positive steps. The association is hopeful that the government will soon issue the orders of the eligible doctors who have been awaiting promotions for long time.”