Maha govt cancels licences of over 4,500 doctors for not serving in rural areas

Mumbai, Oct. 13: The Maharashtra government has cancelled the registration of over 4,500 doctors for failing to serve in rural areas for a year, which is mandatory, a Directorate of Medical Education and Research ( DMER) official said.

The decision to cancel their registration was taken by DMER after it found that these doctors have refused to work in rural areas for a year — a mandatory provision made by the state government.

According to DMER, these doctors have even failed to pay the penalty incurred for not serving in rural areas.

In all, 4,548 doctors have faced action. They graduated from governmentrun medical colleges in the state between 2005 and 2012 and have neither served in rural areas nor paid the fine, it said.

A DMER official said, “If the doctors do not serve the bond, they must pay a penalty, which is ` 10 lakh for an MBBS, ` 50 lakh for postgraduates and ` 2 crore for super- speciality doctors.”

Head of DMER Dr Pravin Shingare said all the doctors who have faced action, had been given sufficient time to honour their commitment to serve in rural areas or pay the penalty.

“We took this firm step as these doctors violated both the clauses,” he said.

A senior official of the state medical education department, said every medical practitioner needs to renew his or her registration with the Maharashtra Medical Council.