Retiring Government Doctors to Be Reappointed to Overcome Paucity of Specialists

The government of the southern Indian state of Kerala will now reappoint retiring government doctors to overcome the paucity of specialists in certain areas.

State Health Minister P.K. Sreemathy said retiring specialist doctors in four disciplines, general medicine, surgery, gynecology and anesthesiology, would be reappointed on a consolidated monthly remuneration of Rs. 25, 000. The remuneration would be in addition to their monthly pension emoluments.

Initially they would be given a one-year contract but it would be extended if found essential. The reappointed doctors would not be allowed to work in other hospitals, but they could continue with their private practice just like other doctors in government service.

Replying to questions, she said there were vacancies of 71 doctors in general medicine, 78 doctors in surgery, 43 in gynecology and 46 in anesthesia in the state.

She also announced all specialist doctors in primary health centers would be redeployed in district hospitals, general hospitals, specialist hospitals and taluk hospitals, where there was greater demand for specialization.

She further said that a field station of the National Institute of Virology, Pune, would be set up in Alappuzha in the state, equipped with the most modern facilities for conducting tests for various diseases.

Hospital management committees would be constituted for all public hospitals in the State, she said.

The minister in a separate statement in the state Assembly said that the government would float a company to procure drugs and equipment and also streamline their distribution among Government hospitals.

Source-Medindia
SRM