(a) whether the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has given a few
suggestions to the Government regarding improvement in the rural health
scenario; and
(b) if so, the details thereof and the action taken by the
Government to implement these suggestions?
THE MINISTER OF HEALTH AND FAMILY WELFARE (SHRI GHULAM NABI AZAD)
(a) & (b) 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 Central Government has already taken various measures for improvement
in the rural scenario which 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.