New Delhi, Aug 14 (IANS) Expressing concern over doctors migrating to foreign countries, union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad Sunday said the 'poaching' needs to be stopped.


Speaking after laying the foundation stone of a new block in Delhi's All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Azad said in the last three years over 3,500 doctors have gone out of India.

“In the last three years, around 3,500 doctors have joined other countries as medical professionals. This poaching needs to be stopped as it is India that is spending money and resources on their training and skill development,” Azad said.

Speaking about increasing the health infrastructure, the health minister said six new AIIMS like institutions will be ready by 2013 in the states of Chhattisgarh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Orissa and Uttarakhand.

The minister said special incentives were being given to agencies constructing the projects to ensure timely completion.

“We have introduced incentive-based projects where the agencies given the task of building projects are awarded with incentives. So this should speed up the infra development in health sector,” Azad said.

The minister laid the foundation stone of a new convergence centre in AIIMS which will have the department of anatomy, electron microscopy, knowledge centre, pathology, bio-chemistry pharmacology and micro biology.

Being built at a cost of Rs.50.85 crore, it is likely to be completed in 18 months.