As many as 661 of the 1,159 postgraduate doctors, who signed a bond promising to serve in rural areas or pay a penalty but reneged on it, are in for trouble.
Faced with an acute shortage of postgraduate doctors, Health Minister K.R. Ramesh Kumar has written to the Karnataka Medical Council (KMC) to cancel the registration of the 661 doctors who have failed to comply with the bond.
A total of 1,159 doctors had done their courses through government quota. The Health Department is also issuing a public notice warning the doctors of action.
In the bond, postgraduate doctors have given an undertaking that they will render one year of compulsory rural service or pay a penalty of ₹10 lakh to the government.
Terming the non-compliance of bonds as a violation of the Medical Council of India’s Code of Medical Ethics Regulations 2002, Mr. Ramesh Kumar has said disciplinary action should be initiated against the violators in the interest of the public.
Although 3,702 candidates, including undergraduate doctors, should have taken up one year of compulsory rural service from 2008-2014, only 86 had taken up service while some paid the penalty. Of the 1,159 postgraduate doctors, 661 have neither paid penalty nor reported for rural service, said the letter.
Shalini Rajneesh, Principal Secretary (Health and Family Welfare), told The Hindu on Saturday that one-year rural service is mandatory for doctors who have graduated through government quota. “This is in accordance with the amendment to Rule 11 of the Karnataka Selection of Candidates for Admission to Government Seats in Professional Education Institutions Rules, 2006. Violating the undertaking given by them in the bonds is also professional misconduct,” she said.
Public notice
With the KMC conveying to the Health Department that it can initiate action only after a public notice has been issued warning the postgraduate doctors of action, the department is issuing a public notice.
“Several notices sent by the Health Department to the postgraduate doctors have fallen on deaf ears. Hence, while legal action is being initiated by the department against the defaulters, simultaneous disciplinary action by the KMC may encourage these specialists to serve in our Community Health Centres and taluk hospitals for one year, thus fulfilling their written commitment,” Ms. Rajneesh explained.
KMC president H. Veerabhadrappa said the council would be able to take action only after the department issues a public notice.
