DEHRADUN: The Uttarakhand government, which is determined to improve health services for pilgrims and other tourists visiting Char Dham, has come up with a lucrative package for doctors who often refuse to serve in hilly and inaccessible areas of the state.
The Pushkar Singh Dhami-led government has coined a ‘you quote, we pay’ plan for such doctors. It believes that if the plan is successful, then not only would the shortage of doctors be met, but patients in remote areas will also get quality health facilities.
In a bid to overcome the shortage of cardiologists in Uttarakhand, the state government has decided to give an honorarium of Rs 6 lakh per month to super specialist doctors under this proposed scheme. The Central government has approved a higher package for the cardiologist super specialist doctors on contract under the National Health Mission.
Speaking to this newspaper, state health secretary Dr R Rajesh Kumar said, “Under the ‘you quote, we pay’ formula, specialist and super-specialist doctors are being recruited on contract, with the application process for the third phase being initiated.
Interviews will be held on August 22 and under this new formula, doctors posted in hilly areas will be given more honorarium. A package of Rs 4 lakh per month has been fixed for specialist doctors and Rs 6 lakh per month for super specialist doctors of heart diseases.”
Kumar admitted that this latest experiment has been implemented in view of the shortage of 60 per cent of doctors in the hilly areas of the state. “A catheterisation laboratory, commonly known as cath lab, has been set up at Srinagar Medical College, where super specialist cardiology doctors will be posted,” he added.
“In the specialist category, we have recruited 20 doctors so far, after which the recruitment of super specialist doctors will start. The recruitment is being done through in-camera interviews under a transparent process in the presence of the director, Medical Education, DG, Health and Vice-Chancellor,” he said.