A recent report by The Times of India indicates that approximately one-fifth of sanctioned medical posts, including doctors and nurses remain vacant in major central government hospitals located in Delhi. The vacancies are spread across several key facilities responsible for providing free or subsidised medical care to a large patient population.
According to the report, data from the Centre for Policy Research (CPR) and official statistics show that as of the latest assessment:
About 19% of doctor posts at major central government hospitals in Delhi were unfilled.
Significant shortfalls were also reported in nursing positions, which was also reported by MedBoundTimes on last International Nurses day.
While the Times of India report does not list every hospital individually, it highlights that major central institutions such as:
Safdarjung Hospital
Lady Hardinge Medical College and associated hospitals
Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital
are among the facilities with reported vacancies in their medical rosters.
These hospitals serve as referral centres for patients from Delhi as well as neighbouring states, and are often busy with outpatient, inpatient, emergency, and specialised services. Vacancies in clinical staff may affect patient throughput and the capacity to deliver continuous care.
In clinical practice, adequate numbers of doctors, nurses, and allied staff are considered essential for ensuring safe patient care, timely diagnosis, appropriate treatment, and continuous monitoring. Understaffing in healthcare settings has been associated in research with:
Increased workload for existing staff, which may lead to fatigue and burnout.
Longer waiting times for patients seeking consultations or procedures.
Potential delays in diagnosis and treatment, particularly in emergency and critical care units.
Reduced capacity for preventive health services and follow-up care.
Vacancies in public health systems have been an ongoing challenge in India. Government hospitals, particularly at the central and state levels routinely announce recruitment drives for medical officers, specialists, nurses, and paramedical staff. Timely recruitment and retention strategies are central to maintaining staffing levels.
In recent years, initiatives such as contractual appointments, short-term hiring, and special recruitment boards have been used in some regions to fill vacancies quickly. However, persistent shortfalls remain in some facilities, as indicated by the latest figures cited.
(Rh)
