To tide over the prevailing crisis of doctors in the state-run hospitals, the Uttar Pradesh State Public Service Commission has approved appointment of 2,065 doctors with an immediate effect so that quality health facilities could be provided in the hospitals. 

State Health Minister Sidharthnath Singh said hospitals were facing an acute shortage of doctors. ''There is a vacancy of 7,328 posts of doctors. When the Adityanath Yogi government came to power, it initiated a process to appoint doctors on priority basis so that people could get quality health facilities in hospitals at the district level and CHCs and PHCs at the tehsil and village levels respectively,” Mr Singh said in a statement here today. He said the State Public Service Commission was asked to expedite appointment process and it released a list of 2,065 doctors including specialists. ''Uttar Pradesh is facing an acute shortage of doctors. Against the proposed posts of 18,382 doctors, as many as 7,348 posts are lying vacant. The previous Samajwadi Party Government had initiated a process to appoint doctors but it failed. The Akhilesh Government has also invited retired doctors for fresh appointment but only 297 doctors showed their willingness,'' the statement said. 

Mr Singh said the government had sent a proposal in 2014-15 to appoint 2,220 doctors while in 2015-16, another proposal to recruit 1,066 doctors to Public service Commission. Against these requests, the Public Service Commission has approved recruitment of 2,065 doctors. ''The appointment of other doctors will be expedited soon,'' the Health minister said. Earlier, the Yogi Government had decided to introduce walk-in interviews to meet the demand of doctors. In a cabinet meeting on June 13, the Government had decided to appoint these doctors on contract basis for one year which can be extended for another year. Around 500 MBBS and 500 specialised doctors were to be appointed through walk-in interviews. “This appointment is over and above those appointments being made through the State Public Service Commission”, Mr Singh said.