Improving Rural Health Scenario

The Central Government has taken various measures for improvement in the rural health scenario. These include: -

(i)      Financial support is provided to under National Rural Health Mission for engagement of staff on contractual basis.

(ii)   Amended the Postgraduate Medical Education Regulations to encourage doctors to serve in the rural areas by giving 50% reservation in post graduate diploma courses for medical officers in Government service and incentive at the rate of 10% of the marks obtained for each year in service in remote or difficult areas upto the maximum of 30% of the marks obtained in the entrance test for admissions in post graduate medical courses.

Further, in order to address the serious concern of shortage of availability of human resources in health sector in rural areas, the Government is committed to introduce the BRHC course, with inbuilt safeguards.

The Indian Medical Association (IMA), while opposing the nature and length of the proposal for Bachelor of Rural Health Care (BRHC) course inter-alia suggested the following for improvement in the rural health scenario:-

(i)       Increasing age of retirement to 65 or allowing re-employment of doctors after retirement on attractive salary and incentives in rural areas only;

(ii)     Compulsory working for one year in rural areas before permanent registration by Medical Council of India (MCI);

(iii)  Reservation of post graduate admission for doctors who have served in rural areas;

(iv)   Opening of more medical colleges in rural areas by allowing public private partnership;

(v)     Giving incentives and attractive salaries and allowances for working in remote areas, etc.

The above information was given in written reply by the Union Minister for Health & Family Welfare Shri Ghulam Nabi Azad in the Lok  Sabha today.