Kolkata: Taking a tough stand, West Bengal government on Monday said it would be compelled to appoint doctors from other states if the state`s own doctors continued to refuse to join the rural health services.
Determined to shore up the health infrastructure in the state, the government warned that appointment given to those selected for the state health services would be scrapped if they fail to join before December 11.
Director of Medical Education (DME), Sushanta Banerjee said this to PTI after a high-level meeting, convened by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, with principals and top officials of all medical college hospitals and leading medical institutions in the state. Banerjee said the chief minister had given her nod for appointment of doctors through an all-India level recruitment process in rural health centres.
"Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has advised us to look for an alternative way to solve the problems like shortage of doctors", the DME said.
The doctors recruited from all India level would be asked to join rural health centres and there would be no compromise on that. The rural health centres cater to majority of the population in the state. The CM has also directed the authorities of all medical college hospitals to ensure best services with more dedication and accountability, he said.
The DME quoted the chief minister as saying that there was a need to have a more `humane face` while serving the people in distress.
A task force under Dr Tridib Banerjee, set up by the state government, was working to ensure better treatment for children and reduce death of children due to lack of attention by hospital authorities, he said.
PTI