Despite drawing flak from various quarters on the Centre’s announcement of one year mandatory rural posting for students of MBBS, Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss stood his ground and asked the medicos to take up ?the national service with pride?.
In a hurriedly convened press conference, where he ?intended to give some clarifications? over the issue that has seen the students protest against the decision in the state, Ramadoss also asked political parties opposing the move ?not to politicise the issue?.
“This is an opportunity for the students to have a look at the minimal medical services available in villages and they should take up this national service with pride and serve the people there,” he said.
While pointing out that countries like USA, Singapore, Malaysia and others mandated 3 years of national service in the Army for such students, he said the rural posting was for only a year.
“Even that schedule is divided into four months each at the hospital at the district headquarters, taluk hospitals and public health centres (PHC).”
Further, “this initiative is part of the National Rural Health Mission, and is not an isolated scheme,” he said.
Members of political parties which have been asking for better medical services for villages have been opposing this effort, he rued. While the Left parties have been supporting the agitating students in Tamil Nadu, some of their members in Parliament were for such an effort, he claimed.