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| Omar's call for reversal of brain drain impracticable | | |
Nirbhay Jammual
Jammu , May 25
Chief Minister,Omar Abdullah,has called for reversal of the brain drain so that noresident doctors could come to Jammu and Kashmir for providing better medicate to the people.Omar's idea is quite good but it is impracticable.We find lot of doctors,engineers,skilled and unskilled labourers and a big number of nurses trained in India having settled in foreign shores.Their is a large number of doctors,technocrats and nurses from Jammu and Kashmir who are settled in the Gulf,middle east,the USA,Australia and other countries.They have gone their to eke out a decent living,It is too early to expect that these doctors and technocrats will return to India,including the state of Jammu and Kashmir.
Right from 1989,when militancy took roots in Kashmir,a large number of doctors and technocrats and nurses opted for different countries.At that stage and during the preceeding years these doctors and technocrats were not attracted by heavy salaries but they wanted to work and live without any fear of getting killed either by the militants or in the exchange of fire between the rebels and the security forces.As the brain drain quantum soared there were many hospitals,including the Institute of Medical Sciences at Soura,which felt the pinch of shortage of senior doctors.with the cash crunch problem confronting the state Government the appointment of doctors on contractual basis remained in vogue.There have been instances when several doctors and engineers in Kashmir opted for service outside the country to earn as much money as was sufficient for building palatial houses and own luxurious cars and other gadgets.And they succeeded in their mission. I know one doctor,who died several years ago,living in a small house in Fateh Kadal area.He had four-six years stint in Iraq and Iran.On his return he constructed a palatial house in Channapora colony.Instances can be multiplied.
When Omar Abdullah talks of reversing the brain drain he is upset over the quality of services patients get in hospitals.A large number of patients from Jammu and Kashmir are seen seeking treatment and sur geries from doctors in AIIMS and other private hospitals.This indicates that Jammu and Kashmir is yet to develop the infrastructure that exists not only in the AIIMS but in other hospitals in Delhi,Chandigarh,Kolkata,Chenai and Mumbai.The health facilities in these hospitals are so advanced that patients from the middle east,even USA and other countr ies visit India for undergoing surgeries.The reason for this is that the cost in Indian hospitals is quite minimum when compared to the rates in the west.Yes Omar Abdullah can reverse the brain drain if he is able to provide lucr ative emoluments to doct ors and engineers.And these doctors will be attracted to serve in Jammu and Kashmir if they are provided with the latest equipments.If doctors,who hold the rank of senior consultants in foreign lands,are posted to Poonch,Rajouri,Machel,Gurez,Tangdhar and Doda they may forego their salary and escape to the countries they had come from.Instead of waiting for the brain drain to get reversed it would be better if Omar ensures advanced training to doctors serving in the rural ar eas.Ensure better facilities,enhanced salaries and latest equipment. Yes,the only way to see the brain drain getting reversed depends on the life of the current economic meltdown.During the last eight months more than 20,000 engineers and skilled labourers have lost their job in the USA,and other western countries.They are back in India and waiting for the fiscal crunch to evaporate
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