Programme aims to reduce shortage of doctors in rural areas
Students to be encouraged to take up the course and then work in rural areas
It is not possible to restrict doctors according to geographic area: IMA
The Indian Medical Association, the largest non-government organisation of allopathic doctors in the country, has come out strongly against the Medical Council of India’s proposal to start a rural MBBS course called Bachelor of Rural Medicine and Surgery (BRMS) in district hospitals soon.
The programme is aimed at solving the problem of shortage of doctors in rural areas and MCI proposes to encourage students from notified rural areas to take up the BRMS course and then work in district hospitals and public health centres there.
The Indian Medical Association has set up a committee to look into the proposal.
“While we appreciate the effort being made to ensure that the rural population gets adequate medical help, we don’t see any long-term benefits from the programme. Today few doctors in the country want to serve in rural areas and the Government has failed to encourage them to practise in rural areas in spite of incentives. So the solution isn’t in making a new cadre but to work at the root cause of the problem. We will be conveying our reservation to the MCI and the Union Government about the programme,” said IMA secretary-general Dharam Prakash.
Course finalised
The four-year BRMS programme is to be conducted in district hospitals (medical schools). A maximum of 25 students will be selected and taught by retired professors. The curriculum for the course has been finalised and the course is to be launched this year. After completion of the course, these rural doctors will, however, not be allowed to serve in any city hospitals as their services will be limited only to district hospitals and primary health centres in their State.
“While on paper the programme looks good, the long-term impact hasn’t been taken into account,” said Delhi Medical Council member Dr. Anil Bansal.
“For one, why should the rural population be treated by doctors who are not trained equivalent to any allopathic doctor in the country? Also it is not possible to restrict doctors according to geographic area. While the country is grappling with the problem of quacks, who will keep an eye on these additional doctors who are not allowed to work in urban areas? However, the biggest problem will be when the so-called rural belts get urbanised. With globalisation and development taking place at a very fast phase it would be impossible to limit people to rural areas,” said Dr. Bansal.