SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, Aug 17: In the wake of an acute shortage of doctors at hospitals and health centres, the Jharkhand government has extended the retirement age of medical officers/experts of non’-teaching cadre to 67 from 65 years.
In this regard, Additional Chief Secretary of Health (ACS) Arun Kumar Singh today issued the notification in the wake of the decision of the cabinet taken on July 29, 2022.
The ACS in his notification said that the government is facing a major hurdle in providing proper health services to people due to a shortage of doctors. Every year, medical officers retire but the appointment is not done in that ratio. Resulting, the deficient ratio of doctors in the state is increasing at a high rate.
Earlier, the state government had increased the retirement age of medical college teachers from 65 to 67 years in 2018.
“Increasing retirement age of present non-teaching cadre doctors and experts would help in ensuring treatment to the patients in the state,” he said.
Arun Kumar Singh pointed out that five medical colleges, 24 district Sadar hospitals, 12 divisional hospitals,188 community health centres, and 385 primary health centres are operational in the state. Jharkhand Public Service Commission (JPSC) issues vacancies regularly but doctors are not appearing as per requirement. Increasing the retirement age of present doctors would help to cater for the present requirement.
Jharkhand Health Service Association (JHSA), the frontal organization of state government doctors, and the Indian Medical Association (IMA) have welcomed the decision of the state government and thanked ACS Arun Kumar Singh.
JHSA state secretary Dr Bimlesh Kumar Singh said that JHSA welcomes the decision but it would have been better had the government given the medical officer the option of working for extended two years.
IMA president Dr AK Singh and secretary Dr Pradip Kumar Singh while appreciating the step said that increasing the age of retirement would help tackle the present crisis of doctors at health centres/ hospitals.
