The Ministry of Health intends to fill several vacancies during the next fiscal year.
During Day 3 of the Standing Finance Committee, Health Minister Dr. Lackram Bodoe responded to questions from the Opposition on the Ministry’s $7 billion allocation.
Several vacancies have been identified within the Ministry of Health, and Minister Bodoe has confirmed that funding has been allocated to fill these positions. One key area highlighted is among the Ministry’s 15 vertical services, which include the Insect Vector Control Division, Health Education Division, HIV/AIDS Coordinating Unit, and the School Health Programme.
“We met 515 vacant posts here, Member. That is unfortunate but the intention, yes, is that we do intend and, as you can see, there’s an increase of three million.”
The Minister acknowledged challenges in filling the identified vacancies, noting that as public sector positions, the recruitment process falls under the purview of the Public Service Commission.
Despite this, he assured that the Government is doing everything within its power to expedite the hiring process and ensure the roles are filled as soon as possible.
“We are trying our best. Again, I just want to emphasise that, you know, I’m not sure how we would have ended up with 515 vacancies. The question really remains is whether any attempt was made to fill these at all over the last 10 years.”
Minister of Finance Davendranath Tancoo also responded to questions from the Opposition regarding vacancies to be filled under the $3 million allocation.
He explained that an assessment and review must first be completed before any positions can be filled.
“As you are very well aware, as you’ve been down this road before, if vacancies are being filled, there are provisions if the sum is not sufficient. However, I want to repeat the point that you spent nine and a half years allowing 515 vacancies in critical institutions under the vertical services, which the Minister of Finance should have known because he does the financing for these as well. And now you are asking, you’re expecting for us within six months to identify Year One, Year Two, Year Three, Year Four. If you had done that, if you had filled the vacancies when they started to emerge, we would not be in the kind of situation we are in today with the crisis in healthcare because of your failure.”
Minister Bodoe also noted that vacancies for nurses and doctors will be addressed, with $165 million allocated for recruitment.
“It’s something we are looking at. At this point in time, the information we have is that there are 71, thereabouts, house officer positions in the RHAs, the various RHAs, and several vacancies for nurses as well. So it is to cater mainly for, as you know, Member, we would have had so many unemployed doctors looking for house officer positions, so the attempt here is to try and employ some of those doctors as well as fill some of the vacancies for nurses.”
The Minister stated that approximately 400 to 500 nursing positions are expected to be staffed.