Hyderabad, October 24: Government doctors unwilling to work in rural areas might face the axe. The health and family welfare department today said that the government doctors have no other option but to go villages as there is dire need of doctors in rural areas and they have to cooperate with the government for strengthening healthcare in the state.
In the past few days, the state government has promoted 194 assistant civil surgeons as deputy civil surgeons and shifted them to Community Healthcare Centres (CHCs) in different parts of the state to restructure the healthcare system. Similarly, 451 PG doctors have been shifted from primary healthcare centres (PHCs) to area Hospitals and district hospitals.
Another 350 doctors were shifted from area Hospitals and district Hospitals to PHCs. However, most of the doctors refused to go to rural areas.
“We understand that doctors want to stay in urban areas due to various facilities available there. But it is part of their duty to move to any place they are appointed. They cannot escape their responsibility,” health secretary P V Ramesh told reporters here today.
The health department is also planning to constitute mother-child health teams comprising a pediatrician, an anaesthetist and two gynaecologists in every district hospital and area hospital to reduce maternal and infant mortality rates.
New equipment worth Rs 35 crore is being provided to 38 area hospitals in the state for providing better services under Aarogyasri scheme.
The funds acquired under Aarogyasri scheme will be used again for the development of such government hospitals.
–Agencies