Minister Dr K.Sudhakar appeals to doctors to serve in rural areas

Mysuru: Doctors should not shy away from working in rural areas as 70% of the population resides in rural India, said Health and Medical Education Minister Dr K.Sudhakar on Wednesday, while speaking at the 11th convocation ceremony of JSS Higher Education and Research Academy in Mysuru.

The minister pointed out that the government had made it mandatory for postgraduate medical students to serve in rural areas after completion of their studies. "2500 medicos will be completing their graduation this year. Some doctors have appealed in the court against this policy. They should withdraw their appeal and serve voluntarily in rural areas. You are free to study abroad but return to motherland and serve here after the completion of studies," advised the minister.

"There is one doctor for every 11-12 thousand people in the State and only one bed is available for every thousand people. As per the WHO standards, there should be a doctor for every thousand people and 2.7 beds per thousand population. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has given approval to establish 150 medical colleges in the last six years. Additional, 17,000 seats have been added to postgraduate courses. Health sector has been strengthened by all these measures." At the virtual programme, JSS Mahavidyapeetha executive secretary Dr CG Betsurmath, JSS AHER Pro-Chancellor Dr B Suresh and JSS AHER Vice Chancellor Dr Surinder Singh were also present.

"The Covid-19 pandemic has been managed well in India. Global mortality rate due to Covid is 3.8%, but it is 1.4% in the country and 1.3% in theState. Earlier we had a 19% positivity rate in some districts, but it has come down to 2.2% now," the minister further explained.