New Delhi: Nearly 100 doctors, including 12 from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), have resigned from central government hospitals in the past three years, Minister of Health and Family Welfare Ghulam Nabi Azad said on Friday and added that steps were being taken to retain the best talent.

Azad said in a written reply in the Lok Sabha that various steps were being taken to "retain the best talent in the government sector" and it had started to show results.

Amongst the steps is raising the age of superannuation of teaching specialists from 62 to 65 years.

The age of superannuation of non-teaching and public health specialists of Central Health Service (CHS) has been enhanced from 60 to 62 years, said the minister.

The Sixth Pay Commission has brought about an overall improvement in the remuneration of doctors and the period of study leave for CHS doctors has also been enhanced from two to three years for postgraduation.

"These measures have been taken during the last two-three years and are beginning to yield result towards retaining the doctors/specialists in government hospitals/institutions," said Azad.

In the past three years, 51 doctors resigned from the CHS, 14 from the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro-Sciences, Bangalore and 12 from AIIMS, Delhi.

Besides, six doctors resigned from the Post-Graduation Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, five from Dr. Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, Delhi, four from Lady Hardinge Medical College and associate hospitals as well as three each from the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences, Imphal, and the North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences, Shillong. Also, one doctor resigned from Safdarjung Hospital. IANS