Centre ready to pay for specialist doctors in Rural areas

New Delhi, Dec 30: The Centre has told states to hire specialist doctors in various fields for rural areas with good pay packets, the salary bills for whom would be footed by it, the Lok Sabha was informed today.

Responding to supplementary, Health Minister J P Nadda said the states are free to hire experts such as gynecologists for rural health facilities on a good salary and the Centre will pay it.

Seeking to ensure larger intake of doctors, 5,000 seats have been added in medical colleges, he said.

Reports have it that there was mere 19 percent availability of specialist doctors in the community health centers (CHCs), especially those in the rural areas, across the country.