Thursday, March 16 2006 14:39 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: With India emerging as a major global centre for low cost healthcare, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today(Mar 16, 2006) directed setting up a Task Force on Planning for Human Resources for Health Services.

"There is a huge gap in the human resources in the health sector in India which include doctors, nurses and lab technicians. This has been highlighted by the National Commission on Macroeconomics and Health in its report", PM's Media Adviser Sanjaya Baru said in a statement.

"There were also growing opportunities with India emerging as a major international center for low cost healthcare," he said.

"The fact that India is demographically a young nation gives it an opportunity to have its trained personnel meeting the healthcare needs of the demographically ageing countries," he said.

The Prime Minister has asked the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission to set up the Task Force that would have representatives from Union Health Ministry, Ministry of Health of selected States and professional experts.

"The Task Force would map the gaps in the health sector, identify new opportunities and submit a Human Development Plan for the Indian health sector," he said.