BMC seeks ‘bonded’ docs for hospitals

According to the BMC’s proposal, under the bond, the 450 doctors will have to work for six months in a peripheral hospital after working for six months in any of the three tertiary-care hospitals (KEM, Sion and Nair).

“Doctors want to work only in tertiary-care hospitals for more exposure. We will give them six months at KEM, Sion or Nair hospital so they will be willing to work in peripheral hospitals for the remaining six months,” Dekhmukh said.

Manisha Mhaiskar, the newly appointed secretary of medical education, said, “Based on the High Court guidelines, we will ask doctors graduating from all over the state to give their preference for hospitals. Those who choose to work in BMC hospitals will be allotted work there for a year.”

Deshmukh said that most of the peripheral hospitals were running at only 50 to 60 per cent of the total bed strength, mainly because of non-availability of doctors.

The city has a total of 18 peripheral hospitals.

In 2011, BMC decided to absorb all doctors graduating in its medical colleges in civic-run hospitals only, but the doctors moved the Bombay High Court challenging the decision.

The HC had then issued guidelines that doctors should be asked for their preference before being assigned a hospital. DMER will now have to follow these guidelines to avoid breaching the HC order.

Medical Education Minister Jitendra Awhad said, “The shortage of medical staff is there in the entire state. We are hoping to get it resolved within two months as fresh MBBS graduates will be available to work as bonded candidates from August.”

tabassum.barnagarwala@expressindia.com