Health Ministry To Adopt Stick And Carrot Policy For Doctors

It seems like the Health and Family Welfare Ministry starting from Minister Anbumani Ramadoss has made it a habit to be in the news for all the wrong reasons as the ministry is now working on a new legislation making it mandatory for all doctors to undergo one year rural posting before they get a permanent registration. Last year, the minister had proposed the compulsory rural postings for all MBBS students.

According to the legislation, a doctor after finishing internship would be given temporary registration to work in the rural areas. Only after serving for one year, the doctor would get a permanent registration.

Ramadoss said it has become necessary to come out with a legislation on this because 30 to 40 per cent of doctors, who are posted at primary level health centers don't report for work.

The announcement met with stiff resistance but the minister said on Friday that the matter has been discussed with the Medical Council of India and other professional bodies and that he has active support on the subject.

"The doctors have to do this for the country," he said.

Never mind, that the above statement does sound like some kind of moral policing but while the minister sits in his comfort zones no attention has been given to upgrade the Health infrastructure facilities in rural India.

Serious debates have already begun on this new proposed legislation. So will the rural health system improve just by forcing doctors to go and practice in villages and rural areas? Will it not promote corruption as doctors might start bribing in an attempt to avoid the forced rural posting?
Just making a law is not going to solve any real problems and it is time that some sort of planned steps be taken rising above the vote politics by taking note of views and concerns of everyone concerned for a brighter and healthier India.