NEW DELHI : The Union Health and Family Welfare Ministry is working on a draft legislation to make rural postings compulsory for doctors before they are registered with the Medical Council of India.

The draft is likely to be placed before the Union Cabinet for approval next month.

Briefing reporters after the second meeting of the Mission Steering Group of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) here on Friday, Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Anbumani Ramadoss said the legislation would make it mandatory for all doctors to serve in the rural areas for at least one year after internship.

"The doctors will be given a temporary registration until they serve in a rural area. This will help us tide over the acute shortage of doctors in these areas," he said.

The legislation proposes to place the doctors at the service of the States who would be free to post them in rural areas. It would be ensured that the doctors are evenly distributed across the country.They would be given a stipend during this period. As many as 28,000 new doctors pass out every year and the rural postings would also be applicable to those passing out from the private colleges.

As of now, the Ministry is mapping all medical facilities up to the Community and Primary Health Centre level to ascertain the requirement of doctors in the country. There are 1.47 lakh primary health centres and 3,220 community health centres.The number of CHCs is expected to double under the NRHM.

The Steering Group also approved a proposal to enhance the financial assistance to Rs. 1,400 from the existing Rs. 700 per child (up to two children) for institutional delivery in the rural areas under the Janani Suraksha Yojana. This has been done keeping in mind the lack of facilities for institutional delivery in the rural areas and the high cost involved in ensuring an institutional delivery in the urban area or a private health care centre.

Union Health Secretary P.K. Hota said adequate funds were available at the PHC level and the financial assistance would be given to pregnant women at the time of the delivery to prevent its misuse. Similarly, adequate supply of medicines, intra-uterine devices and sterilisation facilities would also be ensured at all levels.

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