Coronavirus: Balochistan govt to hire medics to overcome shortage

QUETTA: Balochistan government on Tuesday decided to recruit medics through walk-in-interviews in order to overcome shortage of medical staffers in the province amid coronavirus pandemic, ARY NEWS reported.

According to details, the provincial government will recruit doctors, nurses and paramedics in the province.

“The new recruitment include 344 male and female medical officers along with hiring of 205 nurses for tertiary care hospitals,” said the provincial health department.

The department said that recruitment for paramedics would be made on 2000 vacant seats from BPS-1 to BPS-15.

Announcing the procedure of walk-in interviews, the health department said that the applicant would appear before a district health officer along with his educational credentials.

“A list of all candidates who fulfill the requirement needed by the department will then be conveyed to the health secretary for final approval,” it said.

On March 24, Chief Minister Punjab Usman Buzdar announced to recruit 10,000 medical staffers including doctors, nurses and paramedics aimed at tackling the coronavirus outbreak as the provincial tally crossed 260.

Announcing the decisions, the chief minister said that the new recruitment in the health department would also oversaw hiring of retired doctors.

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“We have approved a package of Rs 11 billion to be provided to the health department for tackling the spread of the virus,” he said adding that Rs 20 million have already been released in this regard.

He said that they have imposed section 144 in the province and a cabinet committee is overseeing the efforts to deal with the virus on daily basis. “We have also formed a committee on school holidays and lowering fees of private schools and will ensure that the guidelines issued from the province are followed,” he said.

Usman Buzdar announced that it was decided to carry out early deduction of Zakat from bank accounts. “We have conveyed the recommendations to the federal government and the finance minister will brief on the matter within two to three days,”he said.