District Health and Family Welfare Offcer H. Thimmaiah was among the health officers who attended the district level review meeting chaired by Health and Family Welfare Minister U.T. Khader in Mangaluru on Monday.
| Photo Credit: H.S. Manjunath
Government doctors have told Health and Family Welfare Minister U.T. Khader here on Monday that reserving seats in postgraduate course for MBBS doctors serving in government healthcare centres will draw many MBBS graduates to serve in primary health centres (PHCs) and other government healthcare centres in the State.They said this during a district-level meeting held by Mr. Khader to review the functioning of the Health and Family Welfare Department in Mangaluru on Monday.A health officer serving in a urban primary health centre said the salary to MBBS graduate should be hiked to ₹75,000 from the present ₹60,000. “The hike was announced under the National Health Mission Scheme but suddenly withdrawn,” the officer said.District Health and Family Welfare Officer H.Thimmaiah said some seats in the PG should be reserved for those serving at the PHCs. Another health officer said grace marks should be given during the PG entrance test (for MBBS doctors) for their years of service at PHCs.A MBBS doctor serving at the Namma Clinic in a remote part of Dakshina Kannada for the last 10 months said she first received a salary of ₹75,000 and now it has got reduced to ₹60,000. Expressing her difficulty in serving with such a salary, the doctor said she was not getting a break from service to prepare for the PG entrance test on August 30.Mr. Khader said he was mulling a hike in salary to those serving in remote places. “Measures will be taken to attract more MBBS graduates to work at government healthcare centres,” he said.Mr. Khader assured of addressing the concern of the doctor serving at Namma Clinic. Dr. Thimmaiah pointed that of the 64 posts of medical officers in rural primary health centres, 38 were permanent, 11 contract, and eight were vacant.While directing the DHO to conduct at the earliest a walk-in interview to post MBBS graduates on contract basis, Mr. Khader said those who apply for vacant posts should not be kept waiting at the DHO office. “Have a disciplined system. This will help to improve image of the department,” Mr. Khader advised.District Reproductive and Child Health Officer B. Rajesh suggested that services of medical officers, who have recently retired from service, can be used to serve in the government healthcare centres with vacant posts.Mr. Khader told taluk health officers to regularly visit PHCs in their jurisdiction. He asked them to serve as medical officer in PHCs, where posts are vacant, for 15 days in a month.Mangaluru Taluk Health Officer Sujay Kumar Bhandary said though new Ullal, Mulky and Moodbidri revenue taluks have been formed all these four taluks, which comprises of over 40 PHCs, continue to be under him. It is difficult for him to attend the taluk level meetings of each of these taluks. A senior health official in each of these taluks be designated as officer to attend the taluk-level meetings, he said.Mr. Khader said private medical institutions are being roped in to fill the gaps and provide high end treatment, free of cost, to people at PHCs.There will be problems serving at government healthcare centres. “The problems will be taken on priority and redressed,” he said. Published - June 08, 2026 07:31 pm IST
