Re: Indian plan for rural healthcare providers encounters more resistance
Dear Sir,
We take this opportunity to thank you. We are so happy that after our earlier 'rapid response' to you [1], 'Family Medicine' has started getting some due recognition, and now the Govt of India has taken a welcome decision of posting doctors who are MD or DNB in Family Medicine to the CHCs and sub-district hospitals [2]. In the long run, this would be a perfect thing to be ordered. But as of now India does not have so many doctors who are MD or have done DNB in Family Medicine. Until more number of MD doctors in Family Medicine are available, and sufficient numbers of Diplomat National Board (DNB) are available, these vacancies will never be filled up.
THEREFORE, and until sufficient numbers of doctors with MDs or DNB in Family Medicine are actually available to fill up all the new vacancies as are being created, the doctors who have already been awarded FCGP (Fellowship of the College of General Practitioners, INDIA), or who have a Diploma in Family Medicine (DFM), should also be considered for these posts.
Much more important and urgent as well, would be to create separate departments of Family Medicine in all teaching and research hospitals, all across India. Now since there won't be sufficient number of qualified MDs and DNBs in Family Medicine as on date, well qualified doctors having done their DIPLOMA in Family Medicine (DFM) may also be handpicked to fill up all the teaching vacancies in all medical colleges and research hospitals, rather than filling these posts with doctors trained in other disciplines of medicine or surgery, etc. Likewise, the College of General Practitioners of the Indian Medical Association (IMA CGP) should also be allowed to upgrade its courses, and allow to run MD course in Family Medicine. Here again the Govt of India, its Ministry of Health and the Medical Council of India will have to step in and give a gestation time of nearly four to five years till this discipline of “Family Medicine” can become functional, and enough qualified post-graduate doctors in this discipline are available.
Finally, the DNB course in Family Medicine should be re-structured, so that more doctors are encouraged to get enrolled for this course. In that, the FCGP and DFM degrees should exempt the PART ONE of the DNB examination, as was the practice of the National Board of Examinations (the parent body for DNB) in earlier times. All this can be done by the directives of the Indian Government, and we are positive that when this government is taking so much of interest in improving the health conditions, as well as the healthcare set up in both the rural as well as urban areas of INDIA, it may be considerate to the facts and suggestions that we have provided.
Best regards.
REFERENCES:
1. Chauhan R, Parihar AKS, Chauhan S. A new model for establishing effective and sustainable rural healthcare in India, as well as other developing countries around the world. BMJ 3 April 2013. http://www.bmj.com/content/346/bmj.f1967/rr/638943 (Accessed on 07 May 2013)
Rapid Response:
Re: Indian plan for rural healthcare providers encounters more resistance
Dear Sir,
We take this opportunity to thank you. We are so happy that after our earlier 'rapid response' to you [1], 'Family Medicine' has started getting some due recognition, and now the Govt of India has taken a welcome decision of posting doctors who are MD or DNB in Family Medicine to the CHCs and sub-district hospitals [2]. In the long run, this would be a perfect thing to be ordered. But as of now India does not have so many doctors who are MD or have done DNB in Family Medicine. Until more number of MD doctors in Family Medicine are available, and sufficient numbers of Diplomat National Board (DNB) are available, these vacancies will never be filled up.
THEREFORE, and until sufficient numbers of doctors with MDs or DNB in Family Medicine are actually available to fill up all the new vacancies as are being created, the doctors who have already been awarded FCGP (Fellowship of the College of General Practitioners, INDIA), or who have a Diploma in Family Medicine (DFM), should also be considered for these posts.
Much more important and urgent as well, would be to create separate departments of Family Medicine in all teaching and research hospitals, all across India. Now since there won't be sufficient number of qualified MDs and DNBs in Family Medicine as on date, well qualified doctors having done their DIPLOMA in Family Medicine (DFM) may also be handpicked to fill up all the teaching vacancies in all medical colleges and research hospitals, rather than filling these posts with doctors trained in other disciplines of medicine or surgery, etc. Likewise, the College of General Practitioners of the Indian Medical Association (IMA CGP) should also be allowed to upgrade its courses, and allow to run MD course in Family Medicine. Here again the Govt of India, its Ministry of Health and the Medical Council of India will have to step in and give a gestation time of nearly four to five years till this discipline of “Family Medicine” can become functional, and enough qualified post-graduate doctors in this discipline are available.
Finally, the DNB course in Family Medicine should be re-structured, so that more doctors are encouraged to get enrolled for this course. In that, the FCGP and DFM degrees should exempt the PART ONE of the DNB examination, as was the practice of the National Board of Examinations (the parent body for DNB) in earlier times. All this can be done by the directives of the Indian Government, and we are positive that when this government is taking so much of interest in improving the health conditions, as well as the healthcare set up in both the rural as well as urban areas of INDIA, it may be considerate to the facts and suggestions that we have provided.
Best regards.
REFERENCES:
1. Chauhan R, Parihar AKS, Chauhan S. A new model for establishing effective and sustainable rural healthcare in India, as well as other developing countries around the world. BMJ 3 April 2013. http://www.bmj.com/content/346/bmj.f1967/rr/638943 (Accessed on 07 May 2013)
2. Aalatimes. Doctors with MD/DNB (Family Medicine) to be appointed at CHCs, sub-district hospitals. Aalatimes 06 May 2013. http://www.aalatimes.com/2013/05/06/doctors-with-mddnb-family-medicine-t... (Accessed on 07 May 2013)
Competing interests: No competing interests