Srinagar, Dec 25: In a bid to encourage the return of eminent state-based doctors who are practicing in various parts of the world, the state government is mulling to facilitate their homecoming by way of flexing rules and assuring financial motivation. The state government is also all set to get a nod from the central government to increase the intake capacity for the undergraduate and postgraduate seats in medical institutes of the state by 50 percent.
Addressing medicos at the annual day function of the SKIMS Medical College Bemina, the Minister for Medical Education R S Chib said, “We have lost some great doctors to outside world due to lack of financial motivation. We want to bring them back to provide good medicare to people.”
Chib however acknowledged that it was very difficult to bring them back with little money as they are getting good salaries outside. “I know it is difficult to motivate them to return. But we are thinking to flex the rules and provide them good financial motivation so that they are able to return,” Chib told reporters outside the SKICC here, where the function was held.
Chib attributed the problems facing the medical sector of the state to ‘lack of care’ towards good doctors, who then quit the state to practice outside. “We shun our responsibility when it comes to the care of the world-acclaimed doctors that J&K is producing,” he said, blaming ‘bureaucratic wrangles’ for the mess.
To improve the state’s health sector, Chib said the government had forwarded the proposal of augmentation of MBBS and PG seats before the centre government. “The MBBS and postgraduate seats in all Medical Colleges of Jammu and Kashmir are being enhanced. The matter has been taken up with the central government and necessary documents with technical recommendations have been submitted to the concerned quarters” he said.
He said the state government was likely to get a nod from central government for augmentation of seats. “At least there will be 50 per cent increase in the MBBS and PG seats in every institute. The chief minister, Omar Abdullah is himself pursuing the case and very soon the centre government would approve it,” Chib said.
He said the government had initiated several measures for strengthening the infrastructure in the medical sector with sufficient manpower and equipments.
He also underscored the need of having more medical colleges in the state.
Compared to Bihar, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Haryana, he said medical institutes of Jammu and Kashmir were providing better medicare despite financial constraints.
The Minister of State for Health and Medical Education, Javaid Ahmad Dar, said the state government had created 6000 posts in the health sector, which had been sent to the recruitment board.
Along with infrastructure, the state government has to improve the human resource for providing the better medicare, he said.
Dar called upon the students to ensure discipline in their institutions which is imperative for producing energetic and responsible doctors.
Director SKIMS, Dr A H Zargar said, “With the help of centre and state government new streams would be started in the institute very soon. As a landmark step in the medical sector of the state, the Stem Cell Transplantation would start in the SKIMS Soura in coming days.”
Earlier, the Principal, SKIMS Medical College Bemina Dr Mushtaq Ahmad while giving details of the hospital said that a hospital block is under construction at a cost of Rs 10.22 crore. He said about 1.97 lakh outdoor patients have been provided treatment till October 2010.

Lastupdate on : Sat, 25 Dec 2010 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Sat, 25 Dec 2010 18:30:00 GMT
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