• Some 50 Hospitals in remote areas are at risk of closing down
• About 1000 Doctors, including 350 registered Doctors, 400 graduate Medical Officers, 300 Specialist Doctors and 50 Dentists, are to retire by December this year

By Yohan Bhasura  

Due to the simultaneous retirement of nearly 350 registered Doctors working in government hospitals by June this year, many Rural Hospitals are at risk of closing down, a senior official of the Ministry of Health said yesterday.  

The official said that if 350 registered Doctors retire simultaneously, at least 50 rural hospitals will have to be closed. Currently, some 650 registered Doctors are working in rural hospitals across the country, including remote areas, he said.  

Accordingly, about 1000 Doctors, including 350 registered Doctors, 400 graduate medical officers, 300 specialist Doctors and 50 Dentists, are to retire by December this year and there are more than 500 senior doctors among those Doctors in the country’s health sector.   

Some Doctors currently working in rural hospitals are examining more than 300 outpatients per day, the official added.

• Some Doctors currently working in rural hospitals are examining more than 300 outpatients per day
• 650 registered Doctors are working in rural hospitals across the country, including remote areas