The process to induct retired medical specialists from armed forces into the state’s medical service has begun, an official said on Thursday. The move is aimed at countering acute paucity of doctors in Uttarakhand’s hill areas.
The development comes after an understanding to this effect was reached between Uttarakhand chief minister Trivendra Singh Rawat and army chief General Bipin Rawat at a meeting here on June 10.
A top health department official said about 100 applications from the army medical core have already reached the department.
Notably, the health department is struggling to find doctors for hill areas, where poor health service is one of major reasons of mass migration.
The official said once army doctors take up the work in hill areas, it will lead to dilution of monopoly of serving doctors, who want to stay in plains or even prefer to resign instead of going to hill areas when transferred.
“We have already received the resume of nearly 100 (retired army) doctors (willing) to serve in hill areas of the state,” said DG health Dr DS Rawat.
“These are those doctors who left the army after completion of their short service stint. Following the meeting between General Rawat and the chief minister, army headquarters established a formal communication with its retired doctors and send them proposal for the same,” DS Rawat said.
{{/usCountry}}“These are those doctors who left the army after completion of their short service stint. Following the meeting between General Rawat and the chief minister, army headquarters established a formal communication with its retired doctors and send them proposal for the same,” DS Rawat said.
{{/usCountry}}“The health department is yet to finalise modalities on remuneration and aspect of benefits for them. Recruitment will begin after that but willingness shown by (army) doctors is very encouraging,” said DS Rawat.