Doctors Association Kashmir (DAK) today again expressed concern over poor oral-dental care facilities across the hospitals in Jammu and Kashmir and demanded a job package for the unemployed dental surgeons who are protesting day and night for last so many weeks.
President DAK, Dr Mohd Yousuf Tak said that the number of unemployed dental surgeons in JK has reached to more than 4000 in number. He said keeping in view the increasing load of patients on government hospitals for oral health care it is high time to create new posts for dental surgeons.
Dr Mohd Ashraf Mir, Senior VP said that poor people are compelled to seek the consultation of quacks for dental ailments as successive authorities failed to upgrade human power and infrastructure in the said sector. He further added that It is astonishing that Public Service Commission (PSC) hasn’t advertised any post of dental surgeons for the past 13 years which has created a huge gap in dental surgeon-patient ratio, unemployment and consequent brain drain.
General secretary DAK, Dr Owais H Dar said the lackadaisical approach of successive governments to upgrade dental health care is responsible in an increased surge in Hepatitis B and C cases in J&K saying that people are forced to consult quacks.
“The patients have no option in the public sector and they fall in the trap of quacks, where they usually get infected with life-threatening diseases including hepatitis,” he said.
Dr Dar said many of the unemployed dental surgeons have crossed age bar and many are taking anti-depressants due to lack of employment opportunities.
Dr Aijaz Ahmad, Joint secretary DAK and DP Kupwara said that the unemployed dental surgeons have been pushed to the wall despite being highly professional at a time when there is more requirement of such posts hospitals at district and sub-District levels.
Dr Adil Wani, Joint Secretary and DP Anantnag said that Hon’ble LG Led administration should take this issue seriously and announce a job package for unemployed dental surgeons which would strengthen the public hospitals that often remain paced with patients.
Dr Imtiyaz Banday Spokesperson DAK appealed the authorities of the National Health Mission (NHM) to come forward and absorb the unemployed dental surgeons in Primary Health Centres and at block and district level.
It is pertinent to mention that a delegation of unemployed dental surgeons met office bearers of DAK few days back about the lack of job opportunities and other issues they are facing.
DAK requested Lieutenant Governor of J&K, Shri Manoj Sinha and Additional chief Secretary, Shri Atal Dulloo to take cognizance of the matter and take appropriate measures for creation of dental surgeon posts and upgradation of dental infrastructure in hospitals across J&K.
Chief Spokesperson DAK
Dr Fayaz Ahmad Bhat
