Shillong , Mar 5: Health Minister AL Hek on Tuesday expressed concern over doctors refusing to serve in rural areas.

“Many doctors do not want to serve in rural areas of the state where people mostly depend on government health centres for availing medical facilities,” Hek told reporters here.

Hek admitted the need to come up with a policy to increase the bond amount which is at present Rs 25 lakh, to ensure that doctors who refused to serve in the state should refund the entire amount spent by the government for them when they pursue their medical studies.

The minister was reacting to a query on the recent resignation of some doctors who were transferred to such government health centres.

Stating that there is no injustice done to anyone, Hek said, “Any transfer order is being issued based on the need. If doctors just because they are being transferred to rural areas decide to resign then what can we say.”

The minister said the refusal of doctors to serve in rural areas have greatly affected the smooth functioning of public health centres.

“This is one of the reasons why the government has to handover its CHCs and PHCs to NGOs,” he said while adding, there is still more than 50 percent shortage of doctors in the state.