Doctors’ demand legitimate, says NPP State unit

National People’s Party (NPP) Nagaland state unit has expressed concern over the plight of doctors and appealed to the state government to take “a matured and positive stand” in the matter of increasing the superannuation age of the doctors.
In a press release, NPP state unit said it was a matter of “great worry and shame” that the state government has failed to understand and recognise the legitimate demand of the doctors to increase the superannuation age.
NPP condemned the “lackadaisical attitude” of the government towards the concerns of the government doctors, who it said have been “sacrificing the comforts of their homes and families and working extra hours” to ensure that health and wellness of the people was not compromised.
It asked why cannot the state government have the political will to listen to their woes and take up the necessary steps to fulfil their legitimate demand when doctors and medical employees could make such huge sacrifices?
NPP unit reminded that the central government had already increased the superannuation age of the central doctors to 65 years in 2017. It said that increase in superannuation age of government doctors in the state has become all the more necessary as it would result in retaining the services of qualified and experienced doctors, particularly specialists.
Complete two medical colleges on a war footing: NPP state has requested the state government to take up the responsibility of completing the two earmarked medical colleges on a war-footing.
The party sought to question the state government as to what has happened to the “lofty promises” of setting up two medical colleges in the state.
It said that the centre has already released Rs. 170.10 crore for Medical College in Kohima and another Rs. 242.50 Crore for Medical College in Mon as per data provided by health ministry in the Lok Sabha on December 3, 2021.
Despite several reminders from the central government to expedite the completion of the Medical Colleges in the state, NPP unit said there was still no ray of hope for all the young medical aspirants from Nagaland. It said medical aspirants were forced to limit their dreams of becoming medical practitioners due to lack of resources or limited seats in medical colleges outside the state.
Further, NPP unit called upon all right-thinking citizens of the state including student organizations and civil society groups to “voice out against this callous attitude” of the state government, which it alleged was not even able to fulfil the most basic needs of the people especially in the fields of medical infrastructure and technical education.
NPP unit has also urged the government to give a positive assurance to the public that such medical colleges would be set up in all the districts within a particular time frame.