Paba News: The controversial
three-and-a-half year long medical
degree -Bachelor of Rural Medicine
and Surgery (BRMS) -- has now got
the backing of Planning
Commission's all powerful high level
expert group on universal health
coverage.
The panel has in its report (finalized
on Sunday and available with TOI)
"endorsed" the all new BRMS cadre
and said that as a career progression
incentive, they should be promoted
to the level of public health
officers after 10 years of service.
According to the panel, by 2022,
India should actually have BRMS
colleges in all districts with
populations of over 5 lakh.
The course should focus on "high
quality of competence in preventive,
promotive and rehabilitative
services required for rural
populations with focus on primary
health care."
It also recommended that it should
be mandated through legislation
that a graduate of the BRMS
programme is licensed to serve only
in specific notified areas in the
government health system.
The panel however was clear that the
BRMS was not a mini-MBBS but
rather a unique training programme
aimed at the basic health care needs
of its target population.
According to the Union health
ministry, vulnerable populations in
rural, tribal and hilly areas are
extremely under-served. In 2006,
only 26% of doctors in India resided
in rural areas, serving 72% of
India's population. Another study
found that the urban density of
doctors is nearly four times that in
rural areas, and that of nurses is
three times higher than rural areas.
As of March 2010, undue delays in
recruitments resulted in high
vacancies even in available posts at
health centres - over 34% for male
health workers are not in position,
while 38% of radiographer posts,
16% of laboratory technician posts,
31% of specialist posts, 20% of
pharmac
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