Doctors still reluctant to take up rural postings

The New Indian Express, April 17, 2007

BHUBANESWAR: Rural health services particularly in tribal dominated districts continue to be plagued by shortage of doctors and other paramedical staff.

The additional financial incentives announced by the Government for doctors working in tribal dominated backward districts has failed to motivate doctors to take up rural posting.

According to latest estimate, 382 doctor posts are lying vacant in 14 districts including the 11 districts (eight KBK districts plus Boudh, Kandhamal and Gajapati) where doctors are given special allowance. The other three districts are Gajapati, Mayurbhanj and Sundergarh.

While 173 assistant surgeon posts are lying vacant, there is a shortage of 101 class-II specialists, 82 class-I specialists and 26 senior class-I specialists is these districts.

Shortage of doctors have hit the health services most in backwards districts of Kandhamal, Kalahandi, Koraput and naxal infested Malkangiri. As against a sanctioned strength of 92 assistant surgeons in Kandhamal district, 22 posts are lying vacant. The remaining three districts have a shortage of 20 assistant surgeons each.

The sanctioned strength for Malkangiri district is 55 while 35 doctors are in place. Delivery of health services in the district has crumbled and people are dying of common diseases like diarrhoea which recently claimed several lives, sources said.

While the tribal dominated southern Orissa districts are malaria endemic zone, 233 post of women malaria preventive health worker are lying vacant. The issue was raised at the recent meeting of the Tribes Advisory Council chaired by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.

Last year the State Government introduced an incentive scheme to encourage doctors to take up posting in the KBK districts and three non-KBK districts of Boudh, Kandhamal and Gajapati.

A special allowance of Rs 2000 per month was given to each of the assistant surgeon and class-II specialist posted in district headquarters hospitals and Rs 5000 per month to the two categories of doctors posted in periphery.

Additional incentive of Rs 2000 per month was given to contractual doctors working in these districts and tribal blocks of Mayurbhanj, Keonjhar and Sundargarh districts.

However, there is hardly any changes in the situation even after introduction of the incentive scheme.

Recently, the Government announced a special package for the doctors including enhancement of basic salary. The special incentive for doctors working in KBK districts was from Rs 5000 to Rs 8000 per month and those working in district headquarters will get a special allowance of Rs 4000 per month as against Rs 2000 given earlier.

The incentive schemes will be extended to doctors working in Gajapati, Kandhamal and Boudh districts.