Annual Report 2008-2009 done to advance human well-being than when health and human rights are considered in isolation. Availability of Medical Care and Manpower 6.5 For realization and enjoyment of the right to health, it is important that doctors and other paramedical staff are available in sufficient numbers in rural areas and in the remote parts of the country. 6.6 In the earlier Annual Reports of the Commission, it was reported that in order to discuss the availability of manpower in remote parts of the country, a meeting with Medical Council of India, Indian Nursing Council and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare was held in the Commission in August 2007. In that meeting it was decided that in order to overcome the shortage of doctors, one year rural posting be made compulsory for the MBBS students. The views of the Commission on the issue of compulsory rural attachment were conveyed to the Sambasiva Rao Committee constituted by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare from the point of view of examining this issue. During the year under review, the Commission received the report of the Sambasiva Rao Committee. The Committee suggested that instead of extending the internship of MBBS students for another year to facilitate their rural posting, rural work up to one year should be made mandatory for candidates who want to pursue their post-graduation. For this purpose, the students will be appointed by their respective State Governments/Union Territories on contractual basis for a period of one year. In the meantime, the Government too has proposed to introduce one year of mandatory posting in rural areas for employment purposes. 6.7 The Commission has also recommended to the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare that one year rural posting should be made mandatory irrespective of the fact whether MBBS students want to pursue their post-graduation or not. Silicosis 6.8 In the last Annual Report of the Commission, it was reported that silicosis is a serious lung disease caused by inhalation of dust containing free crystalline silica, a major component of sand, rock and mineral ores. It is thus disabling, non-reversible and sometimes a fatal lung disease, which progresses even when contact with silica stops. Lakhs of workers in India encounter high-risk silica exposures. The majority of them are in the unorganized sector like slate and pencil cutting, stone cutting and the agate industry. 6.9 It was further reported that given its adverse effects on the enjoyment of human rights, the NHRC had pointed out that silicosis is an occupational hazard that needs necessary intervention and convergence of Ministries of Industry, Labour and Health; the National Institute of Occupational Health (NIOH); and the National Institute of Miner’s Health (NIMH). It had also recommended comprehensive legislation and an effective operational mechanism to ensure 80