Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad today asked the Jammu and Kashmir  government to raise the retirement age of doctors so that the health sector did not suffer for want of adequate staff.

Azad said this after inaugurating a 220-bed Super Speciality Hospital besides launching Rashtriya Bal Swasthya Karyakaram (RBSK), Project Swasthya Slate and 102-J&K Referral Service under National Rural Health Mission here.

Regarding 102 referral service, he asked the state health minister to bring the remaining sanctioned 200 ambulances at the earliest.

Accompanied by Union Minister Farooq Abdullah, Azad said Jammu and Kashmir was the first state to get the Project Swasthya Slate to cover most difficult areas.

Spelling out achievements of the Centre and state governments, Azad said, “We have not only given new dimensions to health sector but all the development fields have witnessed a discernible change during the past 4 to 5 years.”

Azad said one more medical college has been sanctioned for Rajouri, thus raising the total number of newly sanctioned medical colleges to five.

He said the government has given nod to establish 75 cancer institutions in the country compared to only one such centre in the last 65 years.

He said the UPA government extended massive financial and moral support to all the states without any political, social or religious consideration.

Speaking on the occasion, Abdullah extended gratitude to the Centre for giving special consideration to development of J&K in view of its tough terrain and hoped it will continue to do so in future also.

He also thanked Azad for transforming the healthcare profile of the state.

source: http://www.business-standard.com / Business Standard / Home> PTI Stories> National> News / by Press Trust of India / Jammu- March 03rd, 2014