The country’s health sector continues to suffer setbacks as over 23,000 posts remain vacant, while the recruitment process continues to be delayed as disgruntled candidates are filing writs accusing rampant corruption and nepotism in the process.
According to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), 23,127 out of the total 100,501 regular posts are currently vacant in different health establishments.
Although separate processes for recruiting over 10,000 health officials – including doctors, technologists, third and fourth class employees – began more than a year ago, the process was yet to be completed.
The entire recruitment process has reportedly been plagued with a flood of recommendations from cabinet members, top bureaucrats, politicians and leaders of doctors’ organisations. The initiative to fill the empty posts had also created opportunities for an unscrupulous section of officials to pocket large amounts of cash from job seekers.
Asked about the large number of existing vacancies, DGHS Director (administration) Dr Md Shah Newaz told the Dhaka Tribune that even though the official figures put the number of vacancies at more than 23,000, the process of recruiting 10,000 health officials was ongoing.
According to the existing rules, at least 10% of the total available posts have to be kept vacant as reserved posts, the director said.
On the other hand, several senior health sector officials, seeking anonymity, said authorities were unable to move forward with the recruitment process because of different writs and cases being filed on charges of rules-violation and corruption.
A writ petition had reportedly caused delay in the recruitment of 915 posts for third and fourth class employees in nine districts, for which over 60,000 candidates appeared in written tests in April last year. The Health Ministry is now going for a fresh recruitment process after the ruling went against the government.
Following a different writ, the recruitment process of 1,057 medical technologists – which began around six months ago – has been left hanging.
The DGHS was defeated in a writ petition that challenged the recruitment of 177 third and fourth class employees in Sirajganj more than two years ago. The Health Ministry has reportedly decided to fight the ruling at the court again.
The recruitment of 1,808 third and fourth class employees in 25 districts resumed a few months ago, following the dismissal of a writ that had delayed the process for long.
The pressure of manpower shortage is expected to be lessened once the recruitment of 6,221 doctors through the 33rd BCS exam is completed.
Sources said the DGHS has also received permission to recruit 186 third and fourth class employees in five district sadar and district hospitals. But the advertisement was yet to be served.
