Bill on compulsory rural service for docs, awaits Prez nod

Karnataka government was awaiting President Pranab Mukherjee's assent to a bill to enable it to take strict action against doctors not serving in rural areas, Health and Family Welfare Minister U T Khader said today.

The state assembly in August 2012 had passed the Karnataka Compulsory Training by Candidates Completed Medical Courses Bill hoping to solve the problem of shortage of qualified and specialised doctors in rural areas.

Khader said he had already led a delegation to Delhi along with Union Minister Mallikarjun Kharge to seek Mukherjee's assent for the bill. "Twice the President of India had sought clarifications on the bill," he said.

As per the provisions of the bill, besides hefty fines, doctors not complying its provisions would not be given permanent registration to carry out their profession.

Khader said inspite of many doctors and postgraduates completing their courses, there was a scarcity of medical professionals in rural areas.

"There is a scarcity of 336 MBBS doctors and more than 1500 specialists in state hospitals," the minister said. Inspite of salaries in the range of Rs 1.25 lakh, the government is not getting specialists in backward areas of the state, Khader said.

He said the government will launch a door-to-door campaign to create awareness among the people on contagious diseases. "Health officials will go on a door-to door campaign to create awareness about contagious diseases like dengue, Malaria, Kyasanur forest disease (monkey disease)," he said.

The government will launch the campaign in next few days, Khader said, adding, officials who err in their duties would face stern action.

The district administration should take all necessary steps to control the spread of contagious diseases by taking preventive measures, the Minister said.