The Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) on February 04, 2025, issued the notification regarding the initiatives taken to enhance the quality of care in public health facilities
The following has been stated namely: -
• Under the National Health Mission (NHM), following types of incentives and honorarium are provided for encouraging doctors to practice in rural and underserved areas of the country:
o Hard area allowance to specialist doctors for serving in rural and remote areas and for their residential quarters so that they find it attractive to serve in public health facilities in such areas.
o Honorarium to Gynecologists/Emergency Obstetric Care (EmoC) trained, Pediatricians & Anesthetist/Life Saving Anaesthesia Skills (LSAS) trained doctors is also provided to increase availability of specialists for conducting Cesarean Sections in rural and remote area.
o Incentives like special incentives for doctors, incentive for Auxiliary Nurse and Midwife (ANM) for ensuring timely Antenatal Checkup (ANC) checkup and recording, incentives for conducting Adolescent Reproductive and Sexual Health activities.
o States are also allowed to offer negotiable salary to attract specialist including flexibility in strategies such as “You Quote We Pay”.
o Non-Monetary incentives such as preferential admission in post graduate courses for staff serving in difficult areas and improving accommodation arrangement in rural areas have also been introduced under NHM.
o Multi-skilling of doctors is supported under NHM to overcome the shortage of specialists. Skill upgradation of existing HR is another major strategy under NRHM for achieving improvement in health outcomes.
• Guidelines have been established to enhance the behavior and professionalism of healthcare staff in government hospitals, ensuring that patients are treated with respect, empathy, and care
[Notification No. 2099540]
