Lack of health facilities in rural areas

Sir,
This refers to the editorial’ Woeful Health Services ‘(DE, Jan 2,2015). It is sad that even after more than six decades of independence,the rural population doesn’t have access to healthcare facilities.Many rural areas, especially,those falling in remote areas, are crying for facilities such as midwifery, nursing,childcare and other medicare facilities.Though the government has launched many schemes including the ambitious National Rural Health Mission to provide healthcare facilities to every citizen, especially residing in rural and farflung areas,the scheme seems not  to have met with much success due to shortage of doctors and parmedico in such areas.A large number of vacancies of different cadres in the Health Department of J& K State are lying vacant in remote areas with the result that the rural people, most of whom can’t afford expensive medical treatment are forced to suffer and go to urban areas for medical treatment after travelling long distances and spending a lot of money.
For effective implementation of various schemes,it is imperative that there are clear rules for the recruitment,posting and transfer of doctors and other paramedical staff.It should be mandatory for all the doctors to serve in rural and remote areas for a definite period of time so that the poor people residing in these areas are able to get the medical facilites and mortality rate is reduced.Moreover, the doctors selected and appointed on the basis of RBA category should be posted in their own areas falling under the Notified Backward areas as per the provisions of the Reservation Act and made to serve in such areas for a fixed period of time as provided under the said Act.The Health Department did post some doctors selected on the basis of RBA/ ALC category in such areas and this practice must be continued in future too, of course by following set rules and regulations.No political or other influence should be allowed to interfere in the posting and transfer of doctors.Provision of basic health facilities to every citizen in the nook and corner of the country is the first and foremost duty of every Government in the democratic set up and the Government ought to function to the aspirations of the people and should not hesitate to take strong decisions to implement the rules in letter and spirit.
Yours etc….
A Sharma
Jammu