Excelsior Correspondent
NEW DELHI, June 16: Minister of State in Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Science & Technology (Independent Charge), Earth Sciences (Independent Charge), Atomic Energy and Space, Dr. Jitendra Singh has expressed concern over the recent countrywide phenomenon of young medicos, particularly those with specialized and super-specialized degrees, reluctant to take up jobs in the Government sector, thus causing a serious shortfall of medical professionals in Government Hospitals and particularly Government Medical Colleges.
Dr. Jitendra Singh was speaking here today at a function organized by the “Delhi Medical Association” (DMA) to felicitate him on his induction as a Union Minister in the Narendra Modi Government.
Dr. Jitendra Singh said that the medical fraternity, the various organizations of doctors, the social organizations and the Government will together have to chart out a plan to deal with this emerging scenario particularly in the background of massive increase in the number of private colleges on the one hand and faculty deficit in Government medical institutes on the other hand.
Increase in retirement age and higher incentives for newly recruited young medicos are some of the proposals put forward by doctors’ representatives, observed Dr. Jitendra Singh and added that he will look forward to soon arrange a meeting with Union Health Minister, Dr. Harsh Vardhan along with representatives of various associations of doctors so that collectively the most acceptable options could be worked out.
He said that on the one hand, there is increase in the average lifespan while on the other hand 60 percent of the country’s population is comprised of youth. At the same time, he added, the country is facing an epidemic of non-communicable diseases like diabetes, hypertension and metabolic syndrome which has not only increased the burden on the health delivery system but also requires innovative methods to deal with peculiar socio-economic conditions specific to Indian sub-continent.
Thanking the Delhi Medical Association for their kind gesture in honouring him, Dr Jitendra Singh said, it is a great humbling experience for him to be back in the midst of his “parent fraternity” and assured that while being in the Government he will contribute to the best of his ability for the betterment of the medical profession and health care in India.
Prominent among those present on the occasion were Dr. Rajeev Sood, Dr. N.P. Gupta, Dr. Anil Goel, Dr. M.K. Tiwari, Dr. Rajeev Kumar, Dr. Tandon, Dr. Lekhi and several other office bearers of Delhi Medical Association.
Follow our WhatsApp channel