Docs reluctant to serve in Malabar rural areas

KOCHI: Though one year rural service has been made mandatory for the medical graduates in the state, the implementation of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) projects is in the doldrums in the North Malabar districts. The doctors are reluctant to take up the Compulsory Rural Service (CRS) in the region, which has resulted in a 49.2 per cent shortage of staff and the implementation of the NRHM programmes relies on a few doctors who join voluntarily.In addition to this, 134 vacancies of surgeons are yet to be filled at various primary health centres (PHCs) in Kannur and Kasargod districts. The officials say that after the counselling for the CRS only 2 per cent of the doctors join for duty at the PHCs. “The schemes under the NRHM could not be implemented following the reluctance of the doctors to serve in the rural areas. Of the 54 vacant positions only 30 have been filled in Kannur district. “Often the doctors never show up for duty after they are appointed for the rural service in the district,” said Dr Pramod, director, NRHM, Kannur. Only seven out of 800 doctors who had undergone the counselling for the CRS joined for duty in Kasargod district. According to the NRHM officials the doctors appointed in the district rarely join for duty and even those who join seek immediate transfer to Kozhikode and Kannur districts.