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 supplementaries, Health Minister J P Nadda said the states are free to hire experts such as gynaecologists 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 per cent availability of specialist doctors in the community health centres (CHCs), especially those in the rural areas, across the country.