Rural service for doctors should be mandatory, says V-P Naidu

Speaking at the 11th annual Medical teachers’ Day Awards function, Naidu said that three-to-five years’ service in the rural areas for young doctors was essential while pointing out that 60% of the country’s population lives in the villages

Vice-President Venkaiah Naidu on Sunday said that serving in rural areas should be mandatory for doctors before their first promotion in the government sector.

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu. (File photo)

Speaking at the 11th annual Medical Teachers’ Day Awards function, Naidu said that three-to-five years’ service in the rural areas for young doctors was essential while pointing out that 60% of the country’s population lives in the villages. “It (serving in rural areas) must be made mandatory. I know that it will not be liked by many. But, I feel that is needed,” Naidu said.

Calling for creating state-of-the-art health infrastructure across the country, particularly in the rural areas, the Vice-President said Covid-19 pandemic has accentuated the need for better health infrastructure and advised the state governments to give special attention to this aspect.

He also stressed the need to increase the number of medical colleges while referring to the government’s efforts to bridge the gap in the doctor-patient ratio in the country. He said the doctor-patient ratio in the country was 1:1,456 as against the World Health Organisation norm of 1:1000.

Expressing his appreciation of the government’s plan to establish at least one medical college in each district, he pointed out that the urban-rural ratio of doctors was also highly skewed with more medical professionals opting to work in urban areas.

Naidu further emphasised that both medical education and treatment should be affordable and within the reach of the common man. He said that top priority should be accorded to education and health sectors with a greater allocation of budget.

Referring to the fast-changing technological world, the Vice President urged medical colleges to ensure that those graduating stay abreast of the latest diagnostic and treatment systems. “This has become all the more imperative in the wake of the pandemic as everything about the novel coronavirus is new learning to all -- from scientists to doctors,” he said.

The Vice President also paid his homage to former President Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan in whose memory his birth anniversary is celebrated as Teachers Day in the country.