Rural medical officers hope AAP govt will revive infra, resolve issues

Chandigarh: After failing to draw the attention of the previous Punjab governments, the rural medical officers (RMO) are looking at the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for rejuvenating the ignored rural healthcare system of the state and redressal of their long-pending issues.
With the successive governments not paying much attention towards the improvement of the rural healthcare system, the health services in these areas have deteriorated over the years.The services have been marred by health centres lacking even basic amenities such as regular supply of water and electricity, shortage of medicines and manpower and the decision of the previous Congress government to move doctors posted in rural areas did no good to the already ailing system.

With an aim to provide better health facilities to 12,650 villages across the state, over 1,183 rural dispensaries in 2006 were transferred from the department of health department to the department of rural development and panchayat, along with sanctioned posts of medical officers, pharmacists, and helpers to provide preventive, promotive and curative healthcare at village level. The government hired rural doctors on a contractual basis and their services were regularised in 2011 by creating a separate cadre of rural health services. However, the government stopped hiring after January 2012 and nearly half of the dispensaries were with rural medical officers. These dispensaries along with 132 rural medical officers were eventually transferred back to the health department in 2021, causing a huge uproar.
The Association of Rural Medical Officers and Rural Medical Services Association submitted a memorandum to the chief minister officer seeking immediate intervention of the chief minister for upgradation of infrastructure which according to them has not been done since 2011, ensuring regular supply of medicine and enhancement of budget for medicine supply and setting up of laboratories.
They also asked for the implementation of dynamic assured carries progression scheme at par with their counterparts in the health department as specified in service rules. “We are being deprived of monetary and career advancement benefits extended to our counterparts in the health department,” said Dr Jagjit Bajwa, president of the Association of Rural Medical Officers.
Under the DACPS, medical officers are entitled to three-grade pay revision –– first after four years, second after nine years and third after 14 years of service.
Pointing out more disparities, Dr Bawja stated that there are no promotional channels for rural medical officers and there is no quota for postgraduation for them, a benefit which is extended to doctors of the health department.