Eleven doctors were appointed by the State Government recently to hospitals in Kodagu. Out of the eleven only five have opted to joined duty in Kodagu.
Of the five doctors who have joined, two have been deputed to Suntikoppa Primary Health Centre, one each at Hudikeri, Kannangala, and Bhagamandala Primary Health Centres. Two doctors have been deputed to Napoklu and Hudikeri Primary Health Centres. With this, the people of Napoklu, who were protesting against the lack of doctors, are a content lot.
The district has a severe shortage of specialists.
The sanctioned strength of specialists in the district is twenty seven but only eight doctors are presently serving in the district thus there is a shortage of nineteen specialist in Kodagu.
The refusal of doctors to serve in rural areas is said to be the reason for the shortfall of health professionals in Kodagu. Though it is mandatory for Government doctors to compulsorily serve in rural areas most doctors avoid this service and the government also seems to be turning a blind eye to this blatant disregard for government rules.