Following Specialist Crunch, Himachal Plans To Withhold Doctors’ Degrees To Ensure They Serve In The State

The Himachal government is planning to hold back degrees of doctors, who complete post graduation from any of the six medical colleges in the state, for a period of three to five years to ensure that they serve within the state, The Tribune has reported.

According to the report, despite the proposal being under the consideration of the state Law department, the state government is planning to go ahead with the move.

State’s health and family welfare minister Vipin Parmar said, “Though it is still being proposed some other states too have put in place such a mechanism as this is one way of ensuring that those doing post-graduation from the state, serve its people for at least for some period before moving out,”

The minister said that the matter would be placed before the cabinet for its consideration.

The state, despite having admissions to 750 MBBS seats and 232 post graduation (PG) seats every year, is facing crunch of specialists in its 2729 health institutions. The rural areas of the state are affected mostly due to their shortage.

As per the report, more than 200 specialists, especially anesthetists and orthopaedic surgeons, are required in the state.

Setting up of medical colleges at Nahan, Mandi and Chamba has worsened the situation as MD doctors from hospitals are being posted in these institutions to fulfill conditions of Medical Council of India (MCI).

Despite conditions like furnishing a bond of Rs 10 lakh to deter doctors from quitting before serving a minimum period, many are there who are violating the bond.