Chennai, Dec 15 (IANS) Former Tamil Nadu Health Minister and AIADMK organising secretary C. Vijayabaskar launched a sharp attack on the DMK government, accusing it of failing to fill critical vacancies in government hospitals across the state and attempting to mask what he described as a deepening crisis in the public healthcare system.

Responding to Health Minister Ma. Subramanian’s recent assertion that all posts in the Public Health Department had been filled, Vijayabaskar termed the claim “completely false” and alleged that it was intended to divert attention from systemic shortcomings under the present regime.

In a statement, he said the ground reality in hospitals across the state stood in stark contrast to the government’s official statements.

According to Vijayabaskar, government healthcare institutions — ranging from Primary Health Centres (PHCs) to Government Medical College Hospitals — are facing an acute shortage of manpower.

He claimed that posts of doctors, nurses, medical officers, pharmacists, laboratory technicians and health workers remain vacant in large numbers, severely affecting patient care, particularly in rural and semi-urban areas.

“The public health system, which once served as a model for the country, is now struggling due to administrative neglect and poor human resource planning,” he alleged, adding that overburdened doctors and staff were being forced to manage services far beyond their sanctioned capacity.

The former minister also pointed to infrastructure issues, alleging that several government hospitals constructed at a cost of crores of rupees remain non-functional in districts such as Krishnagiri, Namakkal, Theni, Tiruchy and Cuddalore.

He claimed that despite the completion of buildings and procurement of equipment in some cases, the absence of adequate staff had rendered these facilities largely unusable for the public.

Vijayabhaskar further questioned what he described as a contradiction in the government’s stand.

While the Health Minister maintained that there were no vacancies in the department, the government had simultaneously issued notifications calling for applications to fill around 1,100 doctor posts, he pointed out.

“If there are no vacancies, why is there a recruitment drive for doctors?” he asked.

He urged the state government to acknowledge the staffing gaps, expedite recruitment, and ensure that newly built hospitals are made fully operational at the earliest.

“Healthcare is not about announcements, but about doctors on duty, nurses at bedsides, and functioning hospitals,” he said, calling for immediate corrective measures to safeguard public health services in Tamil Nadu.

–IANS

aal/dpb