Vacant CMO positions raise healthcare concerns in Srinagar and Pulwama

SRINAGAR — The key positions of Chief Medical Officers (CMOs) are lying vacant in the summer capital of Jammu & Kashmir, Srinagar and Pulwama district of South Kashmir, raising concerns among the healthcare professionals and residents alike.

As per the details available with the news agency KNO, the Chief Medical Officers of Srinagar and Pulwama were superannuated last month but these key positions haven’t been filled yet.

Doctors working in Srinagar said that Dr Jameel Ahmed Mir, the erstwhile CMO of Srinagar retired last month but authorities are yet to fill his position, thereby keeping the key position vacant to date.

They said that the CMO works as a leader of the district regarding the coordination and oversight of healthcare services, but when the position remains vacant, many concerns arise. Expressing their apprehensions, doctors stressed the critical role a CMO plays in ensuring the quality and efficacy of healthcare delivery.

Similarly, doctors from Pulwama said that Dr Haseena, the erstwhile CMO of Pulwama, also retired last month and the chair is yet to be filled. “Without CMO, the decision-making processes become fragmented, potentially compromising patient care,” they said.

The doctors urged higher-ups to look into the matter and fill these vacancies at the earliest so that the patients as well as the doctors won’t face any problems.

Officials said that the Controller Stores at DHSK also retired last month and his position is also lying vacant.

An official of the Health department said that the posting of CMOs for Srinagar and Pulwama along controller stores is expected to be made in the coming week.