New doctors have to do rural service from next year: Ramadoss

Mumbai, Oct 20 (UNI) Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr Anbumani Ramadoss today said from next year onwards, new doctors who pass out from medical colleges will have to do rural service for one year, which will include service in district, towns and villages.

Speaking at the Smt Priyamvada Devi Birla Oration Award function here, Dr Ramadoss said, ''The doctors need to know the ground reality in the rural areas and have to develop a sense of service to the rural sector.'' He said that people in the rural areas do not have access to good health and medical facilities because of which they seek treatment from quacks.

Dr Ramadoss said the government has undertaken the rural health care in a very big way under the National Rural Health Mission and has started the Rural Kalyan Samiti.

Under the NRHM, there will be a doctor on the highways and there will be an ambulance at every 50 kms and there will be a cardiac at centre every 100 kms. Similarly, high end medical treatment will be available within a small distance.

Dr Ramadoss said that in every one lakh deliveries that take around 300 mothers die due to various reasons.

Meanwhile, taking a dig at the media, Dr Ramadoss said, ''Kareena Kapoor's dirty shoes make headlines in today's world rather than the health mission of the government.'' He said the health budget has increased from Rs 5,000 crore to Rs 15,800 crore and more than Rs 12,000 crore will be spent on National Rural Health Mission.

However, most people are not aware of the ambitious plans of the government because of the disinterest of the media.

He emphasised that the goverment is working on the improvement of human life in the rural areas as there are no essential medicines there.

The Union Minister said many areas are provided with 'Asha' kit for pregnant women. Six lakh deliveries took place in 2005 with the help of 'Asha' kits and the number rose to 28 lakh in 2006, and is expected to double this year, he added Dr Ramadoss rued that only 10 per cent of the total number of seven lakh doctors work in rural areas and the number needs to increase as the majority of people live in the rural areas.

UNI