Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Despite reasonably good salary structure, hardly 30 per cent of doctors who fill the bond to work in rural areas, join the service in state.
Though the health department is still compiling data of bond doctors who have joined government job, officials said response was very poor.
Health department has been issuing notice to bond doctors since September but response is not encouraging, officials said, adding that health department had advertised for 1200 posts of medical officers including UG and PG bond doctors.
According to Junior doctors Association (JUDA), doctors posted in rural areas often work with limited resources including poor infrastructure and a lack of senior supervision. Some doctors experience delayed salaries, while others are paid a fixed honorarium that is significantly lower than the pay what their peers get in government medical colleges.
The system is coercive, failing to offer sufficient incentives like rural posting allowances or preference in postgraduate seats for those who volunteer. Compelling doctors to serve without adequate support leads to frustration and resentment, which can manifest as protests, paying the penalty to exit the bond.
Joint director Dr Raju Nidaria said, “Bond doctors prefer to pursue PG course so they do not join government job. For it, even they pay Rs 10 lakh penality instead of joining government job. This is reason, despite repeated notice, they do not join.”
Deputy director (health) Dr Yogesh Neekhara said, “Despite potentially better salaries, governments are not getting "bond" doctors. Government offers Rs 60,000 but they prefer private job at Rs 40,000 instead of joining government sector. As far as infrastructure is concerned, an issue they frequently raise, is addressed after their joining. Once they join, infrastructure is provided. Even bond doctors are not joining where infrastructure is sufficient.”
State JUDA president Dr Kuldeep Gupta sais, "Inadequate infrastructure, delayed salaries, and lack of support are main reasons behind not joining government job as health officers or medical officers. These issues cause resentment, leading doctors to prefer paying bond penalties or seeking opportunities in private health sector. The system fails to provide necessary incentives, relying on compulsion instead of reward for rural service. Bond doctors are not paid salaries on time. They have to wait for four months for salaries. In private sector, at least, they are given Rs 40,000 on time.”
