Why does a section of state doctors avoid rural service?

STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: At a time when Assam is grappling with a shortage of doctors, a section of successive batches of doctors with new MBBS degrees opt out of the short-term rural duty obligation and choose other professional options.

This fact was underscored by Assam's Health and Family Welfare Minister Keshab Mahanta on Thursday while talking to the media about the tragic demise on Wednesday of a 14-year-old girl named Tejaswita Baruah due to alleged negligence of doctors and lack of infrastructure at the Sri Sri Pitambar Deva Goswami State Dispensary in Majuli. He said that the matter is being inquired into and action will be taken against anyone found guilty of negligence. The superintendent of the dispensary, Dr Amulya Goswami, has been already placed under suspension, he added.

Mahanta admitted that there is a shortage of medical staff and infrastructure at the dispensary in question. He said in this context that the Health and Family Welfare Department had appointed a radiologist there some time ago, but the doctor concerned did not join duty and instead paid the required compensation of Rs 20 lakh to the department. The Minister said such a step is being taken by many other newly-qualified doctors in the state.

It is relevant to mention that an agreement is signed between each newly-admitted medical student and the Health and Family Welfare Department, which stipulates that after completing the MBBS course he/she will serve the state government for a minimum of five years upon offer of appointment in any state government service, or one year of rural duty on completion of the MBBS course. As per the agreement, the government will utilize his/her service within the state wherever there is necessity of a doctor. Upon breach of this agreement, the doctor concerned will have to pay compensation of Rs 20 lakh to the Health and Family Welfare Department. If the doctor concerned fails to pay the compensation, then the Health and Family Welfare Department is entitled to file a money suit or initiate other legal action.

In June, 2015 the then Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi had directed the Health and Family Welfare Department to initiate legal against 244 doctors who had obtained their postgraduate medical degree by violating the terms and conditions regarding offering of service in the state.

In March, 2020 the state government had admitted that around 1,000 posts of doctors were lying vacant in the state, as a result of which around 1,800 doctors had been engaged on contractual basis to mitigate the shortage.

Sources in the Health and Family Welfare Department said that though the number of new doctors emerging from various medical colleges of the state has increased in the last few years, but the gap between requirement and availability of doctors is till persisting due to the enhanced requirement of newly-established medical colleges and other smaller healthcare facilities. The sources added that it will take another five-six years to eradicate the shortage of doctors in Assam.

Also read:  Health Minister Takes Stock of Super-Speciality Block at AMCH

Also Watch: