Soon to recruit 662 doctors to increase their availability in the State, Haryana would make it mandatory for doctors to serve in Government hospitals for at least two years soon after they complete their course.
"Haryana's Out Patient Department (OPD) has fees of only Rs 5, all tests and medicines are free", State Cabinet Minister for Health Anil Vij told The Pioneer. Admitting that there is shortage of doctors as per World Health Organization (WHO) standards of one doctor for every 1000 population, the minister said in coming months 662 doctors would be recruited by the State Government.
Asked whether doctors in Haryana are willing to serve villages, he said that " no doctor wants to go there" but asserted that the State Government " is now making two years service in Government hospitals mandatory before they receive their certificates." The Government would legislate on the issue , he said. He the State Government is opening new medical colleges in Jind and Bhiwani and theat more such colleges would come up in the state with the help of private sector.
" In a move to better medical services in the State every district in Haryana will have medical colleges", Vij said. This apart every district is being provided facilities of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and CT ( use of X rays to detail pictures of organs) , he claimed. Cardiac stent facilities are being made available in Punchkula,Ambala and Bhiwani.The State Government is constructing a tertiary care cancer centre in Ambala and AIIAMS at Jajjar, he said. The cancer centre at Ambala will provide people easy access to excellent cancer care facilities, especially to those living in districts of northern Haryana, such as Yamunanagar, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Karnal and Panipat." The opening of these would be achieved in two to three years time", Vij said.
Haryana is spending Rs 35000 crore annual budget in the health sector.