This is true. Three major government colleges in the state have already been served noticed by the Medical Council of India as they were not able to recruit the required number of faculty members. This shows that there is a great need to pay more importance to the healthcare. So, instead of issuing a nominal budget for the sector, the government is required to release more funds.

Ques: Where do you think we lag behind in the public healthcare sector?

It is the infrastructure that we urgently need in the government colleges and hospitals. There are 38,000 registered medical practitioners with the PMC and our doctors in the state are very competent but they are not getting the right kind of environment to work. So they are settling abroad. As per an estimate, every seventh doctor in the US in some years is going to be an Indian. That speaks volumes about our expertise.

Ques: What is the first step that the government should take to provide better healthcare to all?

I think health insurance should be introduced at every level. With this, the rural and poor people can also avail themselves of better treatment at private hospitals.

Ques: PMC has introduced 50 compulsory credit hours for the doctors in the state. How will it benefit the doctors?

CMEs are important in order that the doctors are updated about the advancements in medicine. The doctors will now have to attend the CMEs seriously in order to earn 50 credit hours in five years. This will make them eligible for re-registration which will be done every five years now.