Bengaluru June 10: Health Minister U.T. Khader has prepared a grand action plan in the first progress review meeting to address the shortage of doctors in the state’s health sector that has been plaguing the state for decades. The minister has given strict instructions about filling thousands of vacant posts in the department and taking precautionary measures for the rainy season.
Massive recruitment drive:
There is currently a shortage of 1280 MBBS doctors, 924 specialist doctors and 892 nurses in the state. To overcome this problem, the minister has launched immediate recruitment through ‘walk-in interview’. Eligible candidates can apply to the District Health Officers (DHO) of the respective district. Notably, it has been decided to give a huge salary of Rs 1,10,000 per month to MBBS doctors. Also, final year PG students who have not completed their courses will be given a stipend of Rs. 10,000.
Greater priority for rural areas:
‘The availability of doctors has increased in urban areas, but people are struggling without doctors in rural and hill villages. To eliminate this discrimination, newly recruited doctors should mandatorily serve in rural areas,’ Khader warned. To overcome the shortage of doctors, the minister has also put forward a new idea of using doctors who retired at the age of 60 on a contract basis until the age of 70.
Preparation for the monsoon season and monkey disease:
As the monsoon season begins, panchayat officials have been instructed to carry out fogging to prevent the spread of infectious diseases. Free arrangements have also been made in private hospitals to treat monkey disease. Since there is a ban on injections, substitute oil is being distributed. Also, 16,000 snakebite cases are reported in the state every year, and the minister has given strict orders to stock necessary medicines in all hospitals.
With this, the Health Minister has set out to change the overall image of the department and has promised to provide quality treatment to the common man.