Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik March 7 approved the appointment of 938 doctors in various government hospitals to strengthen health service system in the state, officials said.

This is the highest appointment of doctors at one go by the state government, a communication received from the Chief Minister's Office said, adding that the doctors will be posted in various hospitals across the state. Official sources said that out of the 6,536 sanctioned posts of doctors in the state, 2,404 posts are vacant.

Tribal-dominated Mayurbhanj district has the highest number of vacancies with 224 posts lying vacant against the sanctioned 407. Even Ganjam, the home district of Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, has the second highest vacancy of 216 doctors. Thirty eight doctors post were lying vacant in Capital Hospital in Bhubaneswar against the sanctioned strength of 175, sources added.