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New research questions professional competence of older doctors

State Govt mulls rise in doctors' retirement age
6/22/2017
Nitesh Sangral
Early Times Report
JAMMU, June 22: While the State Government is considering to raise the retirement age of doctors to 65 years to address the shortage of medicos in the Jammu and Kashmir, a new research suggested that patients looked after by an older doctor were more likely to die.


Senior doctors themselves have been disappointed with the move of the state government and opine that it is neither beneficial to health sector nor would it address shortage of doctors in rural areas. The decision would also hit the career of the young and upcoming doctors in J&K.

A new research of Harvard University published in the British Medical Journal states that those treated in a hospital by a doctor over the age of 60 had a higher chance of dying within a month than those who saw a doctor under 40.

As per officials figures in the State, there were about 3800 posts of doctors under J&K Health Services and only 55 posts were vacant for which JKPSC has already started the process of recruitment. Out of these 3800 doctors, 2550 posts are of Medical officer and Assistant surgeons, 500 posts of Consultants, 250 of Health Administrators, Directors, Deputy Director, Assistant Directors, CMOs, Superintendents and 500 posts of dentists.

"If we increase the retirement age, who is going to be benefitted? Obviously the Directors, Deputy Directors, Assistant Directors, CMOs, Medical Superintendents and other senior most health officials who are on the verge of retirement," a senior doctor stated.

The doctor contested that those who had served a lifetime would not serve in rural areas. "The question is, would these senior health officials serve in peripheral, rural areas and mitigate the miseries of rural population?" he asked, adding that there were already more than 3000 trained unemployed MBBS doctors in J&K.

"If the retirement age is raised, for the next five years no posts will be vacant and it will seriously harm the career of the upcoming doctors who are well-suited and in need of a job," another senior medico said. Government Medical Colleges of J&K produce 400 MBBS doctors every year and in addition about 250 to 300 students of J&K pass MBBS from other states, and from foreign countries. So every year at least 700 MBBS doctors are added to the existing pool of unemployed MBBS doctors.

"If the retirement age of government doctors is increased to 65 years, then for next five years there will be no retirement, leading a moratorium on new recruitment for five years and it will more than double the number of unemployed doctors from 3000 to 7500, as the new 3500 MBBS pass out doctors in next five years will also add to the pool of unemployed doctors," he said.


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