CHENNAI: The Madras High Court said that doctors posted in PHCs under compulsory rural service during the bond period cannot take the stand that they would only work in hospitals having all facilities, as the state was spending a considerable amount on medical education, and therefore doctors have the ‘moral duty and legal obligation’ to serve the poor. The court made the observations while dismissing the pleas of non-service postgraduate (PG) doctors against serving in PHCs.
“PG doctors like the petitioners, rather than finding excuses, must be more proactive in rendering service and helping the poor and the needy people in villages and rural areas,” Justice N Anand Venkatesh said on Monday while passing orders.
“PG doctors cannot take the stand that they will work only in the hospitals with all facilities. If this stand is to be sustained, the services of most of the non-service PG doctors cannot be utilised during the bond period.”The judge refused to interfere with the Tamil Nadu government’s order to post 19 PG doctors at the PHCs during the bond period.
The judge pointed out that there were various instances where doctors with specialisation rendered services in remote villages and rural areas, though without any facilities, but they had paved the way for creating new facilities. “This is the attitude with which doctors are expected to render their services. The patients look at the doctors like God when a precious life is saved. Let not Gods waste their time in litigation,” he said.
The judge directed the petitioners (doctors) to report for duty at their allotted places on or before February 10. The petitioners had contended that Urban PHCs and Additional PHCs lacked the infrastructure and other facilities to provide specialised treatment and provide only basic services, and instead they be posted to headquarters hospitals and specialised ones.