Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh

Cabinet has decided that all House officers who refuse to take up employment in the Public Health Care System will have their Government Assistance for Tuition Expenses Programme loans pulled.

says the House officers will also be asked to repay the government for their medical studies.

At a news conference on Wednesday, Deyalsingh had said regional health authorities have been experiencing problems recruiting doctors to fill 11 specialty areas for the past year.

He said local doctor want to work only at the Eric Williams Medical Sciences Complex, San Fernando General Hospital or Port-of-Spain General Hospital rather than the rural communities.

Yesterday, Minister Deyalsingh said the decision by Cabinet would help fix that problem.