Dimapur, Feb. 5 (EMN): The Nagaland In-Service Doctors' Association (NIDA) has rejected the state government’s proposal to increase the superannuation age of doctors to 60 years for administrative positions and 62 years for clinical positions.
The decision was taken at an emergency meeting of the NIDA executive body along with the district representatives and Core Committee Members on Superannuation at Hotel Japfu in Kohima on Saturday, according to an update from the association.
The NIDA decided during the meeting that “all in-service doctors will go for a mass casual leave followed by total cease work and to the extent of mass resignations” if the state the government fails to implement the written assurance given by the chief secretary on the superannuation age of medical doctors, on April 17 last year.
It reiterated that its demand to uniformly increase the superannuation age to 62 years for all medical doctors irrespective of clinical or administrative roles, be fulfilled.
It claimed that superannuation age proposed by the government will have problem during implementation and will be counter-productive.
“MBBS degree being the requisite qualification for entry into the Nagaland Health Service, all Medical doctors are basically clinicians. Therefore, no in-service doctor would retire by 60 years of age by choice and all would like to continue in-service till 62 years by reverting to clinical works after the age of 60 years. After having served in administrative roles for 5 to 10 years or more without treating patients on a day to day basis, these doctors will be compelled to serve in clinical positions.
“If all the doctors on approaching 60 years are compelled to revert to clinical practice to continue in service, the next lower rung of doctors who are still active clinicians would be forced to take up the resultant vacant administrative post where they have no prior experience. This would result in further shortage of experienced clinicians at Health care delivery points contrary to the primary objective of enhancing the superannuation age,” read the press release.
Maintaining that there is no clinical post above joint director level in the district hospitals, the NIDA said there will be no equivalent post for doctors desiring to revert on reaching 60 years at additional director level and above”.
“Any senior doctor reverting to the hospital at additional director level and above will create hierarchical issues at hospitals where the head is of joint director level only,” it added.
It went on to state that the government’s proposal had been rejected because of the mentioned practical problems.
The association also highlighted acute shortage of medical practitioners in the state, informing that the total sanctioned cadre of MBBS doctors is 511, dental surgeons is 37 and AYUSH medical officers is 27.
“The shortfall of MBBS doctors is 326, dental Surgeons is13 and AYUSHMO is 20 for various clinical positions in the existing health units as per IPHS, while another 248 doctors will be required for the two upcoming medical colleges at Kohima and Mon. It may be noted that during the intervening period since the submission of the NIDA’s first memorandum in August 2016, at least 42 doctors have retired from service amidst acute shortage of doctors in the state,” the association stated.