ESI to have its own medical colleges: Fernandes

Mysore, Jan 12(UNI) Union Minister of State for Labour and Employment Oscar Fernandes today said that ESI would have its own medical colleges to train the doctors along with postgraduate centres in the country soon.

Inaugurating the Third Karnataka government ESI Medical Officers Associations Conference here, he said that it would also open nursing colleges for the ESI hospitals in the country since nearly 46 crores of unorganised sectors comes under the ESI which needs special care in terms of health welfare for their family members Rreferring to the lack of qualified doctors in ESI hospitals, Oscar Fernandes said that there should be exclusive medical colleges to train the ESI dcotors asESI hospitals were to treat workers in organised and unorganised sectors. He assured that he would also discuss the issue with the state government and promised adequate funds from the centre for such medical colleges.

He advocated more attractive salaries to doctors in the country and promised to take up the issue with the concern state governments.

He said Indian doctors were migrating to the United States and other foreign countries as they are paid less salary and poor conditions here.

The union government has taken serious note of migration of doctors to foreign ccountries,, "we could lure them back only if we give them attractive facilities,"," he added. He said that he would discuss the issue with the various state governments in the country soon.

About 150 delegations from across the state are participating in the conference which would discuss among other things including problems of the ESI hospitals and its doctors besides the facilities to the hospitals all over the country.

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