Thiruvananthapuram: The practice of referring patients from rural areas to other hospitals should be proportionately reduced, said Kerala Health Minister Veena George on Wednesday. 

The remark from the minister came while inaugurating the state-level District Residency programme (DRP) to extend doctors' services to rural areas. Under the programme, it is mandatory for all medical students pursuing MS/MD postgraduation (PG) in public and private medical colleges to undergo posting at district/taluk-level hospitals for three months. 

Following this, the state government appointed 1382 PG doctors from various medical colleges to district/taluk-level hospitals.

The doctors will work in four groups for three months each at 78 hospitals up to the taluk level with more than 100 beds.