Bhubaneswar, August 25, 2018: Vice-President M Venkaiah Naidu on Saturday said that it should be make mandatory for young doctors to serve at least a year or two in rural areas before considering promotions for them.
Delivering the first annual convocation of AIIMS, Bhubaneswar here, Naidu said, “There is a need to increase the number of doctors available at health care centres residing in rural area. It should be mandatory for young doctors to serve at least a year or two in rural areas before considering promotions for them.”
AIIMS Bhubaneswar is one of six new All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) established by Ministry of Health and Family Welfare under PMSSY in 2003. The then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee laid Foundation stone on July 15, 2003.
“Medical education curriculum has to be constantly updated by including the latest developments and methods of treatment. There is shortage of physicians, other specialists and nurses in the country and stressed on need to increase number of medical colleges,” said the Vice President.
“It is a matter of concern that the absence of qualified medical practitioners is making people to go to quacks. We need to overcome the acute shortage of health providers as also the infrastructure in rural areas,” added Naidu.
Maintaining that the first convocation is an important milestone as it signals the culmination of training of the very first batch of students, Naidu said, “Doctors must be trained to be more sensitive to the sufferings of patients and their families and provide the healing touch with effective communication. There can be no greater service than restoring fellow human beings to good health.”