Nagpur: Finally, the commissionerate of health services has asked all MBBS graduates who have completed their internship on or before March 31, 2021 and also the ones who have not finished their bond service till date to apply for bond service. The letter was issued to 2,479 doctors on April 16. They have been asked to fill the online application form by uploading documents and mentioning preferences.
The move is expected to bring at least 2,479 trained MBBS doctors with good experience of Covid service into the fold. As per the state policy, they can be appointed in rural, tribal and hilly regions where there is a shortage of trained doctors.
On April 4, TOI had reported how the problem of shortage of doctors can be solved
if the bond service is implemented properly. On April 14, the state had given assurance that the bond service rules will be implemented strictly this year.
RTI activist and social worker Amrut Bang and Dr Vitthal Salve had been insisting for this decision as doctors under bond service have experience of treating Covid patients. “These doctors completed their internships in their respective medical colleges. As they have treated Covid patients, it would be a great value addition to the state’s health manpower,” said Dr Salve.
“This process should be completed on a fast track basis because we need additional doctors immediately in the current scenario,” he added.
Officials informed that the process of online application and uploading preferences will complete by April 21. Allotment orders will be uploaded on April 22 and 23. As per the rules, candidates must join the allotted institute within 7 days after the generation of the bond service allotment order. This means that the state will get the services of these doctors from April 25 onwards. If doctors fail to join the specified institute within the stipulated period, DMER will take penal action against them.
As per the government order, there are 323 doctors from Nagpur, 134 from Yavatmal, 138 from Akola and 87 from Chandrapur who will apply for the bond service. As all the districts of Vidarbha are now gearing up to establish jumbo hospitals for Covid treatment, these doctors would certainly come handy.
On similar lines, the administration is also adding more beds to government hospitals where these doctors can be deployed.