Staff Crunch Persists at NEIGRIHMS Shillong, Healthcare Services Affected

The Northeastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS) is facing ongoing challenges related to manpower shortages, particularly in filling faculty positions, as highlighted by its director, Prof. Nalin Mehta. Although there has been some improvement in recruitment recently, the institute has not yet achieved full staffing levels. This predicament has been a concern for the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare, which emphasized that persistent gaps in manpower and planning could hinder NEIGRIHMS’s capacity to function effectively as the leading healthcare institution in the Northeast region of India. Additionally, the hiring process for nursing staff remains stalled due to opposition from various pressure groups, pending a decision from the institute’s Governing Council. Prof. Mehta noted that some departments have not received any applications for their open positions, a situation that echoes issues experienced at other prominent institutions like AIIMS. Despite various efforts to boost recruitment, including rolling advertisements, deputation, and contract appointments, success has been limited. On the infrastructure front, Prof. Mehta addressed concerns raised by the parliamentary panel regarding delays in the Critical Care Block, clarifying that these concerns were based on outdated information. The project is reportedly over 80% complete, with equipment procurement in progress, and is anticipated to be operational within the next four to five months.