Thiruvananthapuram: The state govt has sanctioned 152 new posts to strengthen the functioning of family health centres (FHCs), health minister K Muraleedharan said on Friday.The newly created positions include 60 pharmacist grade II posts, 47 nursing officer posts, 33 lab technician grade II posts and 12 medical officer posts. The health services director and district medical officers will immediately report the vacancies to the Kerala Public Service Commission (PSC), and appointments will be made from existing rank lists.The minister said the decision was taken following recommendations from the director of health services and in response to long-pending staff shortages in several FHCs. Although posts had been created during the previous govt’s tenure, they had not been allocated to centres facing manpower shortages, leaving the process stalled.Soon after the present govt assumed office, several job aspirants approached the minister seeking appointments. Muraleedharan had assured them that vacancies would be filled at the earliest. He said the sanctioning of the posts fulfils that commitment.The shortage of medical officers, nurses, laboratory technicians and pharmacists had adversely affected the functioning of FHCs, prompting the govt to expedite the recruitment process.Of the 12 medical officer posts sanctioned, four have been allotted to Kasaragod district, while one each has been assigned to FHCs in Kottayam, Idukki, Ernakulam, Palakkad, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Wayanad and Kannur districts.The minister said the govt would continue taking steps to strengthen public healthcare institutions, including FHCs, which remain the primary healthcare providers for ordinary citizens. Efforts are also under way to report vacancies in various health department categories to the PSC to ensure employment opportunities for candidates included in existing rank lists.
