Mangaluru (The Hindu); 10 out of 67 health centres face shortage of doctors. Private medical colleges in Dakshina Kannada may have to depute their doctors to government primary health centres (PHCs) facing a dearth of doctors, thrice a week.

Presiding over a District Development Coordination and Monitoring Committee, which will be henceforth called DISHA, meeting here on Saturday, Nalin Kumar Kateel, MP, asked the District Health and Family Welfare Officer to take steps to this effect.

The DHO told the meeting that of 67 PHCs in the district, 10 faced critical vacancy of doctors.

The Health Department found it difficult to treat patients in PHCs due to the dearth of doctors especially when communicable diseases broke out during monsoon.

Even after inviting applications many MBBS doctors were not coming forward to serve in PHCs. The services of MBBS doctors doing their post-graduation and medical (MBBS) interns in private colleges could be sought temporarily till the end of rain or whenever required.

Mr. Kateel then asked the DHO to arrange a meeting of private medical colleges with the Deputy Commissioner K.G. Jagadeesh to this effect and ensure that those colleges deputed doctors.

“I hope the colleges will agree. If not take action which will make them to agree,” Mr. Nalin said.

A Health Department official told the meeting that the district will get Rs. 39 lakh under the newly launched National Tobacco Control Programme.

It will be utilised for setting up a tobacco cessation centre at the Government Wenlock Hospital and for forming district tobacco control cell.

Some officials of the Rural Development and Panchayatraj (RDPR) at the meeting complained about poor services of the BSNL both in the city and rural areas especially in internet connectivity and cell phone services.

The Deputy Secretary of the zilla panchayat N.R. Umesh said: “The signal in zilla panchayat office area at Kottara is weak. We can’t talk over cellphones properly.”

Executive officers of taluk panchayats complained poor internet connectivity has hampered delivery of government services at gram panchayats.

Mr. Kateel warned officials against any move to evict five Koraga community families from forest area in Sulkeri in Belthangady taluk. The Deputy Commissioner asked an Integrated Tribal Development Programme (ITDP) official to go to the area and infuse confidence among those families not to leave the area of their dwelling.

As per the Union government DISHA replaced the District Vigilance and Monitoring Committee. The meeting conducted here on Saturday was its first one.

DISHA was formed for effective development coordination of almost all the programmes of Union government. It would monitor the implementation of 28 schemes and programmes of Ministry of Rural Development and other ministries to promote synergy and convergence for greater impact.

The main purpose of the committee is to coordinate with Union and state, local panchayats for successful and timely implementation of the schemes.