Adding to the woes of the people, an acute shortage of doctors in health institutions has been a matter of serious concern in Haryana for a long time. A similar situation exists in veterinary hospitals, requiring the state government to fill the posts lying vacant for an extended period. Despite the spurt in commercial dairy farming activities in the state, government-run veterinary hospitals are facing a shortage of both doctors and administrative staff. Surprisingly, out of the total sanctioned 1145 posts, around 400 posts are lying vacant. Notably, districts such as Sonipat, Kaithal, Rohtak, Hisar, and Mahendragarh have the maximum number of vacant posts, while Ambala, Gurugram, Faridabad, and Yamunanagar districts have among the least.
In addition to the shortage of veterinarians, many veterinary hospitals in the state are operating only on additional charges. This situation forces cattle herders to travel to remote places in case of any infection spreading among the livestock. There are 1050 veterinary hospitals across the state, and many of them continue to witness a shortage of veterinarians for a long time. A veterinarian often holds the charge of multiple hospitals due to the lack of staff, hindering the state’s ambition to become a veterinary hub.
An acute shortage of veterinarians becomes a hindrance in the timely completion of vaccination drives, necessitating the immediate filling of vacant posts. This shortage also results in delays in treating animals suffering from diseases. In 2022, lumpy disease spread extensively among livestock, causing untimely deaths across the state. Due to a lack of veterinarians, cattle herders faced significant challenges in treating animals. Departmental data reveals that around one-third of the sanctioned posts of Veterinary Surgeons in Haryana are vacant. In many districts, more than 50 percent of their posts are unfilled, prompting the state government to expedite the recruitment process.
Apart from the shortage of veterinary surgeons, the department is also facing a problem with the shortage of assistants in veterinary hospitals. With the scarcity of Veterinary Development Assistants, people are compelled to seek assistance from unqualified doctors, risking the lives of animals and incurring significant expenses.
In an attempt to address the issue, the department had written to the state government last year, seeking the required staff on a temporary basis until regular recruitment is completed. The department suggested arranging for veterinarians on either a contractual basis or through another process to avoid operational issues. A senior official from the Husbandry Department disclosed that the written examination for recruitment is scheduled for January 28. The government had invited applications for 383 veterinarian posts last year, but the recruitment process faced delays due to leaked exam papers. The written examination was conducted by the Haryana Public Service Commission (HPSC) on January 15, and the answer key was released on January 23.
