Consider filling vacant posts at Othakadai PHC: HC to official
Madras high court
has directed the principal secretary of the health and family welfare department to consider and pass orders on a plea to fill up vacant posts of doctors, nurses, and a health inspector in the Othakadai primary health centre (PHC) in Madurai district.
A division bench of justice A D Jagadish Chandira and justice R Poornima passed the order while disposing of a public interest litigation filed by N Abdul Rahman Jalal.
The petitioner stated that people from nearly 10 villages visit the centre. As per information obtained under the RTI Act, a total of 383,669 outpatients, 11,934 inpatients, and 16,234 pregnant women were treated at the Othakadai PHC from 2021 to March 2025.
While two doctor posts were sanctioned for the PHC, only one doctor is available. Similarly, the post of health inspector and two posts of nurses out of the sanctioned four nurses are vacant, the petitioner said. The present staff members are struggling to provide good care to patients visiting the hospital, he added.
Besides, the ultrasound scan equipment remains unused. As a result, poor pregnant women are forced to travel to Government Rajaji Hospital, which is 12km away, for a scan.
Hence, the petitioner moved court to fill up the vacant posts and repair the ultrasound equipment.
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