A total of 1792 doctors have been engaged on contract to overcome the shortage of doctors across various health institutions in Assam.

This was revealed by state health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma in the Assam Legislative Assembly on Thursday.

The doctors were engaged on contractual basis under the National Health Mission (NHM) to meet the immediate requirement, Sarma added.

He also said that the state government is taking steps to fill the 1115 vacant posts of doctors in the state in a phased manner.

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In reply to a question of Congress’s Rupjyoti Kurmi, Sarma said that the state government has engaged 12, 528 non-gazetted employees against 3999 posts lying vacant in health facilities of the state under Health and Family Welfare (A) Department.

The health minister also said that a total of 1342 posts of gazette and non-gazetted staff are lying vacant in institutions under Health and Family Welfare (B) Department.

The number of faculty posts lying vacant under Directorate of Medical Education is 366 whereas 57 similar posts under the Directorate of AYUSH are also lying vacant, Sarma added.

Sarma also said that the state government will recruit around 11000 teachers before Bohaag Bihu.