Doctors protest at Jantar Mantar against mandatory rural posting
9 Aug 2013 11:06 PM GMT
Doctors of several hospitals, including AIIMS, on Thursday protested here against the government's decision to make one year rural posting compulsory for medicos applying for post-graduation entrance exams.
Hundreds of doctors from AIIMS, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College in Safdarjung Hospital, Lady Hardinge Medical College, Maulana Azad Medical College and University College of Medical Sciences protested at Jantar Mantar, demanding that rural posting should be made a part of post graduation.
The protesting doctors said if at all rural posting was to be introduced before post graduation, then it should be made voluntary and not be an eligibility criteria for applying for post graduate courses, sources said.
As the protest intensified, police had to use water cannons to disperse the crowd. A delegation of medicos also met union health secretary Keshav Desiraju, who said their demands were justified and would be looked into in a ‘broader perspective,’ the doctors said.
The protesting doctors said they were willing to serve in rural areas, but expressed concern over poor infrastructure and lack of basic facilities in the primary health centres. ‘There are no proper laboratories to carry out investigations in primary health centres. Safety of female doctors in rural areas is also a question,’ one protestor said.
Hundreds of doctors from AIIMS, Vardhman Mahavir Medical College in Safdarjung Hospital, Lady Hardinge Medical College, Maulana Azad Medical College and University College of Medical Sciences protested at Jantar Mantar, demanding that rural posting should be made a part of post graduation.
The protesting doctors said if at all rural posting was to be introduced before post graduation, then it should be made voluntary and not be an eligibility criteria for applying for post graduate courses, sources said.
As the protest intensified, police had to use water cannons to disperse the crowd. A delegation of medicos also met union health secretary Keshav Desiraju, who said their demands were justified and would be looked into in a ‘broader perspective,’ the doctors said.
The protesting doctors said they were willing to serve in rural areas, but expressed concern over poor infrastructure and lack of basic facilities in the primary health centres. ‘There are no proper laboratories to carry out investigations in primary health centres. Safety of female doctors in rural areas is also a question,’ one protestor said.
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