Chandigarh, June 28 -- Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) has told the Punjab and Haryana high court (HC) that 91% of its nursing staff posts have been filled. In an affidavit before the HC, the premier institute has admitted to shortage of hospital attendants at the institute. The hospital response came to suo motu proceedings initiated by HC on June 19 while acting on a news report which claimed that 60% of the nursing posts are vacant. The report had cited shortage of staff as one of the reasons for overcrowding at the hospital. Taking a serious note, the HC had sought a status report from the institute. PGIMER had said that 91.3% of the total sanctioned posts are filled up in the nursing cadre. Further, 194 posts of senior nursing officers are vacant as on date, due to a litigation. These posts will be filled up in accordance with the outcome of the dispute, the institute claimed. In other cadres, such as assistant nursing superintendent, deputy nursing superintendent, nursing officer, public health nursing officer and nursing superintendent etc., very few posts (8.5%) are vacant, due to either non-availability of eligible candidates in the feeder cadre or due to recent resignations. It further added that the sanctioned strength of hospital attendants is 519, out of which, 191 posts are filled up and 328 are vacant. Out of 328 regular positions, 121 posts have been filled up with housekeeping workers. PGIMER is making efforts to fill the remaining 207 posts at the earliest, the institute stated. In addition to this, PGIMER has outsourced housekeeping services and the service provider has deployed 1,093 workers, including 124 relievers, it added....