Over 70 DHS-Attached Doctors Await Posting, Salaries Withheld for Four Months | Kashmir Life

SRINAGAR: More than 70 highly qualified doctors, including those who have completed MBBS, MD and DNB courses, have been awaiting posting orders since October 2025 after being attached to the Directorate of Health Services, Kashmir, leaving them without salary for the past four months.

As per sources, these doctors were already in government service and had pursued higher postgraduate and super-speciality courses with due permission. However, after completing their advanced qualifications, they have remained idle due to the non-issuance of formal posting orders, resulting in non-payment of salaries.

The affected doctors said they were informed by authorities that their list had already been forwarded to the Health and Medical Education Department at the Civil Secretariat for further posting. Despite repeated assurances, no concrete action has been taken so far, leaving them unemployed and without financial support.

Doctors expressed concern that the delay is not only causing hardship to them and their families but is also affecting patient care, especially at a time when there is an acute shortage of specialists in government hospitals across Jammu and Kashmir.

They stated that many health institutions continue to suffer due to a lack of specialists, while trained and qualified doctors remain unemployed despite being available and willing to serve.

The doctors urged Syed Abid Rashid, Secretary, Health and Medical Education, to personally intervene in the matter and ensure the immediate issuance of posting orders along with the release of pending salaries.

Efforts to contact the Secretary, Health and Medical Education, did not materialise. [KNT]