Centre mulling moves to check IT occupational health hazards

Chennai, Sep 19 (UNI) The Union Health Ministry will take up major initiatives to check occupational health hazards faced by employees in the IT and ITES sector, which according to Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Anbumani Ramadoss is squeezing the young work force in the country.

Inaugurating the WHO Collaborating Centre for Occupational Health and Biodosimetry Laboratory at Sri Ramachandra University on the occasion of the University Founder's Day and University Day Celebration here today, Dr Ramadoss said the employees in the Indian IT and ITES sector were prone to various health hazards and his Ministry was contemplating to formulate various schemes for their welfare.

Calling upon the young medicos to take up the mandatory rural postings as a matter of pride and not as punishment, the Minister said Indian medical tourism was growing and it provided ample opportunities for the young medical professionals to pursue a career in India rather than serving outside.

Dr Ramadoss said the Centre had made Indian Council for Medical Research (ICMR) a separate department under the Union Health Ministry, granting it more autonomy, flexibility and budgetary allocation to take up more research works.

The Centre would soon set up a National Emergency and Trauma Programme, covering the entire nation.

He said a Public Health School would be set up under Public Private Partnership (PPP) in Chennai at an investment of Rs 100 crore.

UNI