NEED BASED MEDICAL EDUCATION FOR RURAL AREA

Medical education and practice is improving consistently in the country. But, that is not enough to cater to the demand on health services for a billion plus population of the country. In Rural areas, in spite of National Rural Health Mission's efforts-- has not been able to meet the basic need for health in 6 lakh villages in the country.Time has come to think of an alternative model-paradime which should be able to meet the challenges of providing quality health care facility in each of 6.5 lakh villages in the country. Allow me to suggest the following:-

Problem:

1. The no of Qualified medical professionals per 1000 of Population is abysmally low in our country.

2. Because, The system of medical education is still the privilege of a few(Too elitist & Merit driven)

3. Rural students have constraints in accessing the current system of medical education which is either driven by merit or Money and they fail in both the criteria.

4.Urban based medical professional are not ready, voluntarily to work in Rural Areas; therefore, rural health services would always remain under staffed.

Solution:

1. Need Based Medical Education in addition to existing Merit & Money Driven system.

2. Need based medical education system can design a course in between B.Pharma & MBBS.[Diploma level MBBS]

a. Which could serve the primary need of health services in rural areas.(Basic Diagnosis, Prescription of Drugs & Minor surgery without anesthesia)

b. The academic eligibility for such medical course should be such that rural students would be able to qualify through an entrance examination/qualifying marks in +2 Science to be conducted exclusively for Rural Based Students Only.

c.Exclusive low cost Medical Colleges can be set up with bare minimum infrastucture in Rural Hubs.

d. Funding for such medical colleges can be obtained from a hybrid sources- Public Funding( Budgetary Support/NHRM/Multilatral Aid Agency like World Bank & Asian Development Bank, IMF Ect.) Private funding through a Viable Business model and Fiscal benefits. And of course, through voluntary contribution of Beneficiaries in rural areas through Health Insurance & other schemes.

Benefits:

1. The Ratio of Medical Professionals to 1000 of Population would improve substantially in a period of 10 years.

2. India Centric Quality Health Services could be established in short time at Lower Cost fulfilling the need of rural areas entirely.

3.Hope a Larger percentage of Rural health professional from Rural based medical institutes would willingly work in rural areas near to their home.

4.Quality and Availability of Health Infrastucture would Improve substantially with lower Investment.

5. Govt.would have to spend less in disease control and epidemic prevention.

6.Could Drive Rural Economy in a Faster Trajectory.

These IDEAS must be examined by the MCI to frame Policies to that effect without any further delay to offer the country a safe and sound health system sooner than later.

Author: Bikash Choudhury, Chief Executive of Strategy Consulting Firm based at Bhubaneswar, Orissa, India. Contact: Mobile: 00 9853426657 Tel: 91-674-2720271

Email: streben.market@gmail.com & bikashchoudhury@sify.com