Bengaluru, Feb 21 (IANS) Non-medical staff are as important as doctors, and those working in the health sector must serve with humanity, rising above differences of caste and religion, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said on Saturday.
He was speaking after distributing appointment orders under the Abhaya Hasta programme organised by the Department of Health and Family Welfare, which included recruitment to various cadres in the Health and Family Welfare Department and the Food Safety and Drug Administration.
The Chief Minister said it was a matter of satisfaction that 1,000 people had received appointment orders and joined the Health Department. He emphasised that working in the health sector is not merely a profession but a meaningful service involving saving lives and preventing diseases.
Siddaramaiah said that after his government assumed office for the second time, efforts were being made to fill vacant posts in a phased manner, and several issues in the recruitment process had been addressed.
He said sectors such as education, health, and policing, which are directly linked to public welfare, remain key priorities for the government, and steps are being taken to fill vacancies in these areas. More than 2.5 lakh posts are currently vacant across various government departments, and these will be filled gradually, he added.
The Chief Minister said the recruitment process is being conducted through counselling to ensure transparency and prevent corruption. He noted that around 5,700 posts, including those of doctors, have been transferred through counselling.
Preventing corruption in recruitment and transfer processes is a key objective of the government, he said, cautioning government employees against falling prey to middlemen involved in transfer-related matters.
Reiterating the importance of all healthcare personnel, Siddaramaiah said non-medical staff play a crucial role in the functioning of the Health Department and must carry out their duties with humanity beyond caste and religious differences.
“When blood is required for treating patients, no one considers caste or religion. However, once people recover, they again fall into the cycle of caste and religious divisions,” he said.
He stressed that greater emphasis must be placed on disease prevention and said the Health Department should adopt a proactive approach in this regard.
The Chief Minister added that the government is implementing several schemes aimed at strengthening and improving the state’s healthcare system.
–IANS
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