It seems the recent decision of the Prime minister NarandraModi to increase the retirement age of doctors in central health services to 65 years has found resonance in some states including Nagaland. This decision has not gone down well with many health policy makers and budding doctorsas it is not going to improve the health care delivery system in the country because the doctors who are 60 to 65 years are not going to render any clinical service in the rural areas where the service is needed most. More over the government has to pay a huge salary to these senior doctors and most of them hold the administrative posts except for those doctors who teach in the Medical colleges.For this simple reason, increasing the retirement age of the doctors to 65 years will not make any change in the ground. Infact, this will increase the unemployment situation among the upcoming doctors in a state like Nagaland. Instead of retaining such senior doctors with high pay it is better to employ more junior doctors because the salary of a senior doctors is 3-4 times or more the salary of a junior doctor. In Nagaland many doctors are already unemployed and much more doctors are going to come out from different colleges. It will be too selfish on the part of the present inservice doctors if there is any attempt on their part to pursue that matter for their selfish gain. The government service rules apply to every employee and doctors cannot be made an exception. Rather it will open a Pandora box and the government of the day will face the music. The NSF and Nagaland Medical Students Association should see if any such move is under process. God forbids but if it is implemented the fresh medical graduates will have to wait for 5 years even to compete for the meagre jobs that will be available to them. I think the in service doctors has no reason to complaint as many of them get re employed in NHM even after retirement. Why not give chance to the new generation doctors also to contribute to the health care system as by 60 years you would have already contributed your best.
Bendangchuba
DC Court Dimapur
