The panel discussion conducted by the newly floated organisation of physicians, ‘Doctors Forum’, at the Madras Medical College in Tamil Nadu has reviewed the overall situation of health services in the rural areas in India and has come to the conclusion that qualified doctors should be posted in rural health centres.

Though the panelists had differences of opinion in making compulsory  postings of MBBS graduates in interior villages, most of them have agreed up on one thing that from the beginning of the course the students must be educated about the rural health services and it should be made mandatory while joining the course.

All the speakers agreed to the fact that the rural hospitals and primary health centres (PHCs) need more workforces instead of just one person taking care of all the patients coming to the hospital. They also made a suggestion that doctors with MBBS and higher qualifications should be posted in rural services.

“Today, the medical fraternity is unwilling to work in rural areas, but it should be made compulsory and the students be given the awareness about rural services from the beginning,” Dr D Kanagasabai, dean of MMC opined.

“If the students are unwilling to accept rural postings, the fault is not with the students. Unless the concept of public health is inculcated from day one in the medical education, the problem cannot be solved. The current teaching has alienated students from patients and public,” said Dr M Thyagarajan, from the directorate of health services.

Dr Ponni R Carlson, a former student of MMC and currently working in US, said rural health system should have permanent doctors and para-medical staffs. They said in India, the interns or house surgeons should be posted in health centres in villages for a short period and it should be made mandatory.

The former director of health services, Dr PG Sivanandan, said the medical students prefer to work in metros and in city hospitals as they prefer higher studies. They have to be motivated from the beginning about rural services where so many patients are suffering from various diseases. Those who prefer to work in rural areas should be given adequate remuneration and priority for higher studies, he opined.

The Doctors Forum is an organisation under Tamil Nadu Health  Development Association (TNHDA) led by left parties. The former director of child specialty hospital, Chennai, Dr Rex Sargunam is the chairman of TNHDA and presided over the meeting.