Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], December 9 (ANI): Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, while participating in a programme held on Tuesday at the Chief Minister's Residence, distributed appointment letters to 142 Assistant Professors selected through the Medical Services Selection Board for various government medical colleges.

Congratulating the newly appointed Assistant Professors, CM Dhami said, "This opportunity would prove to be a significant step toward strengthening the medical sector. This would help them become skilled and efficient medical professionals who responsibly fulfil their duties toward society and humanity."

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He urged all newly appointed faculty members to provide their students with quality education and training, while also instilling in them sensitivity, empathy and a spirit of service.

The Chief Minister further said, "Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the state government is continuously working to expand and strengthen healthcare services in Uttarakhand. Quality medical facilities are being provided to every citizen at affordable rates. Under the Ayushman scheme, around 61 lakh Ayushman cards have been distributed so far, enabling cashless treatment worth more than Rs 3,300 crore for over 17 lakh patients in the state."

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He added that the state government is establishing a medical college in every district so that people in remote areas can have access to modern healthcare within their own districts. Five medical colleges are already operational, while construction of two more is underway. Super-speciality departments have also been established at the medical colleges in Dehradun, Haldwani, and Srinagar.

The Chief Minister further said, "The construction of the state's first modern Cancer Institute in Haldwani is progressing rapidly. The state's heli-ambulance service has also proven to be a lifesaver for people in remote areas during emergencies. Patients in the state are being provided free pathological diagnostic facilities, and telemedicine services are offering specialist medical consultations to residents of far-flung villages."

He stated, "Staff shortages in government hospitals and medical colleges are being addressed. Appointment letters have been issued to 142 Assistant Professors, and recruitment for 356 more is currently underway. Additionally, 1,248 Nursing Officers and 170 Technicians have already been appointed, while the selection process for around 600 more Nursing Officers is also in progress."

The Chief Minister said that earlier, recruitment processes were plagued by bias, irregularities and corruption. The government has implemented the strictest anti-cheating law in the country. Today, all recruitment processes are being conducted purely on merit, ensuring that deserving candidates receive full recognition for their talent and hard work. So far, nearly 27,000 young people in the state have secured government jobs. He added that wherever vacancies exist, they will be filled promptly through the Commission.

Cabinet Minister Dr Dhan Singh Rawat said, "Currently, 62 per cent of the faculty positions in medical colleges are filled by permanent staff, and this number will increase further. 70 per cent of the work on the Pithoragarh and Rudrapur medical colleges has been completed, and both colleges will start functioning from the next academic session. In government medical colleges, 625 students are pursuing MBBS and 256 are enrolled in postgraduate programmes. The state has around 100 colleges, where nearly 14,000 students undertake nursing studies every year."

He added that among the 3,000 nursing staff recently appointed, 100 per cent belong to Uttarakhand. The state has provided free diagnostic tests to 32 lakh people, and 350 patients have been referred to higher centres through the air ambulance service. (ANI)

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