JAMMU: Demanding creation of new posts of dental surgeons in hospitals across Jammu and Kashmir, Dental Surgeons Association Jammu Kashmir (DSAJK) held a protest demonstration at Amphalla Chowk. Scores of unemployed dental surgeons while carrying pamphlets with slogans written on them assembled at Amphalla Chowk near Indira Gandhi Government Dental College (IGGDC) and started raising slogans in support of their demands which include creation of new posts of dental surgeons in Government hospitals across J&K.
The protesting youth said that they have been loafing with wild thoughts of fear and stress, being broke and penurious over their poor future job prospects. “Our employment woes have not been addressed since 2008 when Government last officially advertised posts for inducement of dental surgeons in Health Department. Since then thousands of dental surgeons are hopeless and jobless. The reason for this unemployment clearly follows a mismatch between supply and demand in health sector,” they added. The unemployed dental surgeons said that they gave representation to the authorities time to time but nothing has been done till date for their welfare. “Two years back with the help of Governor Satyapal Malik and his Advisor Vijay Kumar, we were finally able to put our demands rightly and officers were told to work on creating new posts for dental surgeons in the State but that file is gathering dust in Finance Department for last three years,” they added.
They demanded the Government to increasing job avenues and opportunities for dental surgeons in rural areas as per the intake capacity with the help of various schemes under NRHM like NOHP RBSK, Ayushman Bharat and School Dental Health Program, increase sanctioned posts and new plans for dental graduates in PHCs, NTPHCs, CHCs and Sub-centres.
The protesting youth demanded framing of a regular policy for recruitment of dental surgeons every year based on the number of seats at UG level in the UT. They further demanded separate directorate of dentistry for smooth redressal of demands and grievances.
