Morung Express News
Dimapur | January 30
A poll taken by The Morung Express, after the Nagaland In-service Doctors’ Association (NIDA) demanded to enhance the superannuation age of government medical doctors in Nagaland, found at least 53 per cent of respondents approved the demand to enhance the superannuation age while 47 per cent disapproved.
Those who were critical about enhancing the age of retirement opined that it would not contribute to healthcare outcome as most senior doctors are delegated to desk jobs at the Directorate and do not actually practice medicine.
“…Those who retire or superannuate are seniors in the hierarchical set up of the directorate paving the way for those at the mid and junior level to move up the rungs… Given this practice, the question of shortage of practicing doctors does not arise. Increasing the retirement age would only give rise to more and more senior doctors lost in paperwork at the directorate,” a respondent opined.
Another respondent viewed that enhancing superannuation age would lead to many young doctors remaining unemployed for another five years, leaving health care to remain redundant for the period. Moreover, “They (senior doctors) can always retire and join NHM and give good service,” the comment read.
Another respondent viewed that the state needs the younger generation and more technically upgraded personnel to give their service to the people.
On the contrary, a majority of those who were in favour of enhancing superannuation age viewed it as a way to not only mitigate the shortage of medical doctors in the state but also retain services of experienced doctors for a longer period.
“We’ve very limited seat for pursuing medical sciences and it takes more years to complete the courses. Also, technical exams are not conducted every year. With proposed medical colleges coming up, we will also need more manpower than ever,” one of the comments read.
Another respondent opined that the demand to enhance the superannuation age was justified, “Because we need to retain services of experienced doctors, particularly specialists for a longer period to benefit poorer sections of society who form majority of patients in Government hospitals.”
Citing Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement to raise the age of retirement of government doctors to 65 years from the current retirement age of 60 years in 2016, in view the shortage of doctors in the country, one respondent also pointed out that, “except in Nagaland, all over the country, Government doctors retire between 62-70 years age.”
“… We need the services of skilled doctors for a longer period of time. Even other states of India felt the need and implemented. Then, why not Nagaland?” another stated, while adding that, “Our situation is even more in need of the increase in the superannuation age.”
