The government of Andhra Pradesh is finding it difficult to fill posts of specialist doctors and lady gynaecologists in government hospitals as there are no job seekers among the MBBS graduates for these posts in the state.

Long back the state government had issued a notification for the filling of 1,100 specialists’ doctors and 151 gynaecologists’ posts in the state hospitals. According to sources only about 100 applications have been received while the remaining 1000 posts are left vacant with no applicants to fill them.

With the rise of corporate hospital industry in the state many doctors are opting to work in the private hospitals rather than joining for the government job. “The doctors have become money minded and preferring to work in high class environment rather than serving the poor in the rural areas,” said a source in the health department.

Addicted to plump salaries and world class environments with all kinds of infrastructure facilities available in corporate hospitals, the doctors are least bothered to serve the society.

Every year nearly 1500 students pursue MBBS course in 14 government medical colleges in the state. The government spends about Rs. 30 lakhs on every student to pursue MBBS course in the government medical colleges in the state. In spite of this, the students are not willing to even spend one year compulsory service in government hospitals in the rural areas.

While giving a clarification in the legislative assembly, the health Minister D L  Ravindra Reddy agreed that the government had not received a single application for the announced posts since the issue of the notification. He said doctors are preferring better pay packets over government service in the state.

While commenting on the situation, doctors from corporate hospitals and MBBS graduates blamed the government for inadequate equipments and infrastructure in the health centres besides politics contributing to the situation.

“Doctors have become money minded, because of this they have become selfish and are ignoring service to the poor,” commented a Doctor.