This is the second time in two months that Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan has highlighted vacancies in the Health Ministry.
THE Union Health Ministry has raised concern over vacancies in nine senior officer posts in its Covid team, saying this had put it under “acute stress”.
In a letter dated October 13 to Deepti Umashankar, Establishment Officer and Additional Secretary, DoPT, Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan said, “As you are aware that even though the pandemic of Covid-19 is declining, however we cannot let our guard down. At this crucial juncture, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare is required to put in extra efforts to ensure full preparedness across the country. Vacant positions of one Joint Secretary and eight DS (Deputy Secretaries) / Directors have put this ministry under acute stress.”
Bhushan sought “early and timely action” to fill up the existing vacancies “and also the vacancies arising in the coming weeks”.
This is the second time in two months that Bhushan has highlighted vacancies in the Health Ministry. On August 12, he had written to the DoPT (Department of Personnel and Training) about the unfilled posts of additional secretary, joint secretary, director and deputy secretary under the Central Staffing Scheme of the Central Secretariat Services (CSS) in the Health Ministry.
Asked about the letter, a Health Ministry official, who refused to be named, said: “Each ministry gives the list of vacancies every month to the DoPT. Otherwise how would they fill the vacancies?”
