Keeping in view the high vacancy positions of technical staff, the Himachal Pradesh government has decided to enhance the honorarium of technical health staff in the state substantially. The honorarium for Operation Theatre Assistants has been enhanced by ₹7,180, raising it from ₹17,820 to ₹25,000 per month, whereas the honorarium for Radiographers and X-Ray Technicians has been almost doubled. The honorarium for this category has been increased by ₹11,900, raising it from ₹13,100 to ₹25,000 per month.
An official spokesperson said here on Saturday that 382 posts of Operation Theatre Assistants are sanctioned in the state, and 226 positions are lying vacant. Out of the 282 sanctioned posts of Radiographers and X-Ray Technicians, 129 posts are vacant. The low honorarium has been a major deterrent for technical professionals to join the government sector, leading to a critical staff shortage in hospitals.
Taking cognizance of the issue, Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu directed the department to address the matter and ensure better honorarium for the technical staff. The main concern of the Chief Minister was that patients receiving health care services in the state should not be affected due to the shortage of staff. Following his directives, the department drafted a new proposal to enhance the honorarium, which was subsequently approved by the State Cabinet.
The spokesperson said that, in the coming times, this decision would help the health department bridge the gap and fill up the posts which have been lying vacant for years. He added that technical staff working in hospitals and medical colleges play a vital role in diagnostic services and are the backbone of the healthcare delivery system. The decision is expected to deliver positive results in the near future.
The spokesperson further said that seats for paramedical staff in the government sector are currently very limited. The present state government has decided to increase the number of seats for technician courses in Indira Gandhi Medical College, Shimla, and Dr. Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College, Tanda (district Kangra).
He stated that the government has enhanced the seat capacity for training in courses such as B.Sc. Medical Laboratory Technique, B.Sc. Radio and Imaging, and B.Sc. Anaesthesia and OT Technique from 10 seats each to 50 seats each per course at Indira Gandhi Medical College, Shimla. Similarly, in Dr. Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College, Tanda, the seats for B.Sc. Medical Laboratory Technique, B.Sc. Radiology and Imaging, and B.Sc. Anaesthesia and OT Technique have been increased from 18 each to 50 each per course, to ensure that the youth of the state can receive training within Himachal itself.
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