[Assam] Wanted doctors and nurses in rural Assam

Thu Jun 8 18:14:27 PDT 2006

I was recalling that many of my uncles have served as govt doctors -- in various roles. Some --like my mother's two brothers and a cousin of mine from my father's side  have been hard working and served in rural areas -where they received hospitality and free food from villagers etc for their good work. 

  On the other hand, many from my father's side have built political connections to remain in urban areas only- and make more money through private practice, extra income through signing fake medical bills for govt employees and even money lending to the poor, semi-literate patients (mainly from rural areas) at exhorbitant interest rates. 

  However, all the above chose to work in areas which atleast provided safety. My maternal uncles initially served (diligently) in dusty, dry rural areas of Rajasthan (their father and uncles were govt school teachers/headmasters - now retired) - and after some opportunities came -then one brother joined greener and richer Haryana govt service and later the other one. Isn't it similar for those opting for medical career overseas etc?

  Umesh

  PS: Supervision/punishments can be improved for absentee doctors --but how can you improve recruitment for doctors to serve in trouble torn areas unless they are brave enough to risk their lives. Incidently I recall one of Jaipur School's teachers joined govt service in Kashmir -since he is brave and perhaps a nationalist ( and a product of a Military School)

umesh sharma <jaipurschool at yahoo.com> wrote:
    Ram-da,

  I think we are looking at the problem from different angles. I ma looking at why there are not enough doctors working in rural Assam. You are looking at why there is absenteeism in urban hospitals.

  If you look at Maslow's hierarchy of needs -- first need is of safety. Only if there is a safe environment can we look at issues of greed. Why do you think rural Bihari laborers are running from Bihar to other places -incl urban Assam?

  Umesh

Ram Sarangapani <assamrs at gmail.com> wrote:
    And you think those doctors in Assam or elsewhere are going hungry?

  Its more like greed, Umesh. The basic problem is, they are not performing their duties as per their job requirements.

  --Ram da

  On 6/8/06, umesh sharma <jaipurschool at yahoo.com> wrote:       Hunger is a big motivator. Like I am now motivated to take up teaching high school math -later p[lanning to go into non profits. You might later say that you ditched the cause of school teaching and your students who were depending upon you. 

  Maybe some people back home in India would be saying the same about IIT grads who opt to go abroad after getting world class subsidized education there.

  Umesh

Ram Sarangapani <assamrs at gmail.com> wrote:
    Umesh,

  >Just becos a person signs up to serve does not mean s/he would be willing to see his family die at the >hands of militants --more likely in rural Assam. 

  My point is this: Even if this is true, it is NOT as if these docs (most atleast) were not aware of the problem when they signed on. Militancy has been there for more than 25 years. 
  If these docs were afraid then they would not have signed on in the first place.

  But I think you missed the point completely - these Docs do not want to go to rural settings because
  (a) they run thriving practices in the towns/cities
  (b) The Govt. job provides them a good base to set up their clinics and for referring their clinics for the 'best personal treatment'  - of course for a fee.
  (c) There is no money in villages.
  (d) Gone are the days of depending on most Docs for keeping up their oaths to serve humanity.
  (e) If there was enough money, these docs will go anywhere. so its not the militancy factor.

  --Ram da

  On 6/8/06, umesh sharma <jaipurschool at yahoo.com > wrote:       Ram-da,

As your title suggests --focus is "Rural Assam" - which has its own special problems made more acute by militancy. Just becos a person signs up to serve does not mean s/he would be willing to see his family die at the hands of militants --more likely in rural Assam. That is another fall out of militancy. Education and health of those in such areas goes down -more die due to resulting ill health.  
  *****"A retired doctor, if willing to serve in a rural area, will be paid a consolidated salary of Rs.15,000 a month, besides their pension benefits," the minister said.......... . 
The new recruitment drive has been necessitated with the rural healthcare sector in Assam in the doldrums with doctors not willing to serve in the interiors. 

"We have to do something drastic to improve the healthcare system, especially in rural areas," Sarma said. 

Doctors apart, there is a severe shortage of nurses and paramedics. "

  Umesh

Ram Sarangapani <assamrs at gmail.com> wrote:
    Well Umesh,

  The militancy has been going on for over 25 years. When these doctors apply for jobs with the Assam Govt. , my understanding, is that, they have to sign on to do a stint in rural areas. Most escape the "punishment" and basically get themselves well situated in the big league. 

  Obviously, when they signed on, they were well aware of any militancy or other problems.

  The other fact you missed out totally, is that these so called docs were NOT even at their jobs in the Gov. Hospital. They were probably busy running their own private practice and so have no time to do the rounds as required. I hear, even the salary they get from the GOA is paltry, its the position which is more important. That way they can refer the multitudes of patients to their own practice. 

  There you have it.

  Ram da

  On 6/6/06, umesh sharma <jaipurschool at yahoo.com > wrote:       who wants to work in rural areas esp with militants ready to send them to kingdom come. Salary is good for retired folks who have no fear for their lives - already in old age awaiting the call .

  Umesh

Ram Sarangapani <assamrs at gmail.com> wrote:

          Docs walk in to grab govt job 

IANS [ SUNDAY, JUNE 04, 2006 12:00:00 AM]      "I visited the Guwahati Medical College (GMC) today and was really disappointed to find a majority of the doctors absent," Sarma said.  - Health Minister,  Assam
  Is that all a powerful minister can do? How about some corrective measures?

  http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1612076.cms 

                GUWAHATI: If one is a doctor aged below 65 years, a government job in Assam is assured - just walk in to an interview next week and get the appointment letter on the spot. 

But there is a catch. The new recruits must serve in Assam's rural areas. 

"Anybody with a medical degree can just walk in for an interview on Wednesday and Thursday and get a job. We have about 234 vacancies across the state and all these recruits will be posted in rural health centres," Assam Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma told reporters here. 

Due to the lukewarm response from doctors for government jobs, health authorities will welcome retired medical practitioners for the interview. 

"A retired doctor, if willing to serve in a rural area, will be paid a consolidated salary of Rs.15,000 a month, besides their pension benefits," the minister said. 

"We hope to get at least 100 young doctors for the interview and the remaining vacancies can well be filled up with retired medical practitioners." 

The new recruitment drive has been necessitated with the rural healthcare sector in Assam in the doldrums with doctors not willing to serve in the interiors. 

"We have to do something drastic to improve the healthcare system, especially in rural areas," Sarma said. 

Doctors apart, there is a severe shortage of nurses and paramedics. 

"We require about 1,200 nurses and in the next two months we are going to fill these vacancies," he said. 

"Shortage of nurses in Assam has severely impeded immunisation programmes in the past few years." 

Coming down heavily on specialist government doctors ignoring their normal duties and devoting more time in private nursing homes, the minister said such acts would not be tolerated. 

"I visited the Guwahati Medical College (GMC) today and was really disappointed to find a majority of the doctors absent," Sarma said. 

He has initiated action against at least a dozen senior doctors at the GMC for neglecting duty. 

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