Punjab to rehire specialist doctors after retirement

Confirming the development, Punjab health minister Dr Balbir Singh said the move wouldn’t impact the job avenues for youngsters

Against the backdrop of an acute shortage of doctors, the Punjab government has decided to rehire retired medical specialists in the health department. Confirming the development, Punjab health minister Dr Balbir Singh said the move wouldn’t impact the job avenues for youngsters.

Dr Balbir said, “For instance, if there is a post of medical specialist lying vacant in Shutrana (a rural block of Patiala district), we will send a hardworking re-employed doctor to fill that vacancy.” (iStock)

Several rural health blocks in the state are facing an acute shortage of medical specialists. The minister said to check the shortage of specialist doctors, retired medical specialists would be roped in until they attain the age of 65 years. As of now, the retirement age in the Punjab health department is stipulated at 58 years.

“Re-employment of doctors will be only on a need basis. Only those medical specialists who are proving to be working hard will be given the opportunity to work after 58 years (retirement age),” said Dr Balbir.

The health minister said the decision was taken after the posts of fresh aspirants remained vacant for a long time as no new specialist doctor had joined.

Dr Balbir said, “For instance, if there is a post of medical specialist lying vacant in Shutrana (a rural block of Patiala district), we will send a hardworking re-employed doctor to fill that vacancy.”

The decision is being seen in the light of the Punjab health minister’s recent assertion of devising a policy to incentivise those government doctors who perform extra surgeries and attend to more patients, to retain them in the government sector.

PCMSA opposes move

Meanwhile, members of the Punjab Civil Medical Service Association (PCMSA), largest organisation of government doctors in the state, said they would continue to oppose any kind of extension to retirees. “We insist that the focus should be on regular recruitments and subsequent retention through healthy remuneration and safe working environment coupled with provision of adequate medical officers and staff,” said Dr Akhil Sarin, state president of the PCMSA.

He, however, further added that if the government still wants to extend the retirement age of specialists in the public interest, it should only be for clinical purposes and should have no bearing whatsoever on the promotion opportunities of the younger counterparts.