BENGALURU: Doctors disapprove of a recent Karnataka government decision to relax the mandatory one-year rural service for medical students, saying rural areas need more doctors to cater to the increasing patient load.
The state cabinet recently approved a proposal to partially relax the rule. It decided to amend the Karnataka Compulsory Service by Candidates Completed Medical Courses Act, which states that all MBBS, postgraduate and super-specialty graduates must serve as junior residents in government-run healthcare institutions in rural areas for a year. Medical graduates who refused to follow the rule were fined Rs 15-30 lakh.
The cabinet reasoned that the latest decision was taken to ensure that ‘skilled doctors’ are not underutilised in rural healthcare institutions, which are sufficiently staffed now and face no shortage. However, the students can be asked to serve in rural areas whenever there is a shortage, it stated.
Dr Tejaswi HJ, president of the Junior Doctors’ Association, disapproved of this decision, saying the government should not enforce this change. He explained that while institutions in rural areas are sufficiently staffed, there is a need for more doctors to cater to the rising patient load. He said it will also help improve the quality of service in rural areas.
Dr BL Sujatha Rathod, Director, of Medical Education, also said that though healthcare institutions in Karnataka have filled minimum sanctioned posts according to National Medical Council (NMC) standards, it does not ascertain that the state faces no staff shortage. The positions remain vacant as the ones required to cater to the added patient load are not sanctioned. With a high patient load, doctors are often overburdened with compromised mental/physical health and quality of work.
“We do not have adequate healthcare facilities in rural areas. It is very important that rural posting is encouraged, not just for doctors passing out of public but also for private institutions. It helps doctors understand the reality of rural health status in the state,” said Dr Sylvia Karpagam, a public health researcher. It was also highlighted that the non-availability of basic infrastructure is a major reason why people opt out of rural postings.