The rural areas of Jammu and Kashmir used to lack the best health services for the people who live there.
But, the winds are blowing positively, and the government is going to take the action and change things over with much needed courage, and there are multiple layers to it but it revolves around a rather nice policy around a short amount of funds for doctors if they work in remote areas.
It is sad and part of the gap in health between the city and the rural itself that a patient must be carried on a type of stretch on a makeshift basis for miles to get to the nearest Primary Health Centre.
So, this is not so much policy change as it is a moral issue and a legitimate societal opt-in to invest in the health of the health of a nation.
The government leaning in more is a reminder that the health of the society is not measured by big modern hospitals in the cities, it is measured by how close and accessible health care is in the most rural of communities.
Applied in the form of incentives, not disincentives, the government demonstrated some measure of understanding that it is facing a predicament that is difficult to resolve.
They have accepted the professional isolation and the social barriers and restrictions that these can entail; this should not be employed as a reason to deny skilled doctors rural appointments.
The proposed incentives may include considerable financial incentives and remuneration, promises of consideration for hiring and education down the line, and many other factors, which are very compelling.
With this, a rural appointment will transform from a work possibility riddled with challenge to one that is dignified, with all the employment benefits and stability that we are experiencing everywhere else.
This is being done in a way that respects our doctors’ wishes while fulfilling our ethical obligation to care for the health of a whole population.
The changes will be impactful. It represents hope for individuals living in rural spaces; a mother can deliver without putting herself in grave danger or travelling.
A farmer with chest pain will be seen immediately. It is about increasing the workforce in the rural space. Health security has implications for the economy, as it can potentially ramp up productivity, a healthier rural community, and a viable rural community.
