The Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved the Strengthening of teaching, patient / clinical care and public health programme implementation - Shifting of more experienced doctors belonging to Central Government and Central government entities to teaching/ clinical / Public Health Programme implementation activities.

The approval seeks to ensure that the doctors belonging to Central Health Service (CHS) and of other Ministries / Departments / entities of the Central Government, after attaining the age of 62 years, work exclusively in their respective fields of clinical expertise. This would be done by amending the decision of the Union Cabinet taken in its meeting held on 15.06.2016 for removal of difficulties experienced in effective implementation of this decision.

Major Impact:

This will result in capacity building and leadership development of more Central Government doctors besides availability of more experienced doctors for medical education, clinical / patient care services and for implementation of national health programmes.

Beneficiaries:

            The decision will make available more experienced doctors for patient / clinical care, medical teaching activities and implementation of National Health Programmes etc., which is likely to benefit society at large.

The benefits of this proposal will percolate down the line throughout the country.

Background:

In order to tackle the problem of shortage of doctors, low joining and high attrition rate in Central Health Service, Union Cabinet in its meeting held on 15.06.2016, approved increase in age of superannuation of doctors of the Central Health Service to 65 years. Subsequently, in its meeting held on 27.09.2017, the Union Cabinet increased age of superannuation of doctors working in various other Ministries/Departments including those of Indian Railways, AYUSH, Central Universities and NTs, etc. to 65 years. It is, however, felt that there is a need to make available the services of senior doctors above the age of 62 years for core medical profession, such as, clinical / patient care/ teaching in medical colleges / implementation of health programmes, Public Health programmes & functions, etc.

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