Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, May 28: The Jammu and Kashmir Government should enhance retirement age of doctors from present 60 years to 65 years on the analogy of Central Government, keeping in view the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic when the hospitals across the UT are facing shortage of doctors.
This was highlighted today by some doctors of Health Department who while speaking to Excelsior said that J&K is already facing shortage of doctors and during the ongoing pandemic, this situation has deteriorated further as one-third of the existing strength went into quarantine (home isolation) after contracting with the Coronavirus.
They said while the UT Government is doing everything from giving extension to retiring doctors to engage doctors on contractual basis to overcome the shortage of doctors but did not get expected results in turn as Government advertisement regarding contractual appointment of doctors failed to attract the new MBBS doctors.
“Keeping in view acute shortage of doctors, particularly in peripheral hospitals, the J&K Government should enhance the retirement age of doctors from present 60 years to 65 years as has been done by Central Government as well as Government of union territory of Delhi,” they suggested.
They said after abrogation of Article 370 from the state of J&K and its reorganization into two UTs, all central rules have been applied to J&K. “Then why, the UT Government is hesitant in enhancing the retirement age of doctors from 60 to 65 years on the lines of Central Government,” they questioned.
The doctors said, keeping in view present situation of the Pandemic, Government should immediately enhance the age of serving doctors which are fully trained while the new recruits will take years to gain experience. “This, one step of the Government will solve shortage of doctors to a great extent for some years and in the meanwhile, Government may go for fresh recruitment to fill the gap,” they asserted.
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