Doctors pay fine to dodge districts

MUMBAI: Nearly 600 recently graduated doctors have chosen to pay the state government the Rs1 lakh fine rather than serve as medical officers in rural areas. But the government’s decision to make doctors pay a steep price for being excused has persuaded some 450 of them to accept the posting.

“We are happy that number has come up to 450 from zero,” said AM Khan, principal secretary, medical education department. “We hope the number of doctors joining service in rural areas will go up as the amount of fine goes up to Rs5 lakh in the next two years in line with the increase in the bond amount.”

Khan said the scheme has been so successful that even the Centre is planning to implement it on a national level. He said the government spends nearly Rs4 lakh on each student while charging only Rs18,000 as annual fees.

A government resolution adopted in August made it compulsory for MBBS students clearing internship this year to serve in rural areas. The resolution was conceived in accordance with an agreement reached between the doctors and the government.

Eleven hundred students who passed their internship in August had opposed the resolution. They argued that the deployment would disrupt their preparation for the post-graduation exams, which are due in January 2007.  

Sources in the medical education department said steps are being taken to address some of the concerns of the interns. Doctors will be allowed to choose the districts they will be posted in.

Public Health Director Dr Prakash Doke said, “We are expecting 350 more doctors from second-term students who are passing out this month to join the service.”