NEP 2020 Healthcare system- just recommendations

The NEP 2020 is of the opinion that there is need to revise the entire professional education like Agriculture, Law, Healthcare and Technical Education. A separate committee will be set up for each professional course to work out the detailed transformation plan

“Indians have always exercised pluralistic choices in healthcare, seeking help from different systems of medicine for different needs. This makes it important to impart medical education in an integrative health science framework and replace the current silos in which it is imparted in India.” States NEP 2020.

We follow Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homeopathy (in Short AYUSH). This culture is inherited in Indians from ancestors. Ancient medicine in India dates back to ……I don’t know how many centuries.

I remember my grandma telling me that those “rishis” use to open “Talapatra” leaves to see the appropriate medicine for a particular disease. These “patras” can be seen in some of the museums. Even now this is being practised in rural and tribal regions. In urban India is also this is prevalent.

We are aware the number of Ayurveda and homeopathy medicines being in circulation for COVID 19!!! Right from tulsi leaves, ginger, turmeric, garlic etc are being used for different kinds of ailments. There is truth in it. Otherwise why westerners should file a patent on turmeric!! We know about it but we ignored. Pity is it not. So the moral is NEP’s suggestion to integrate AYUSH with modern medicine has some meaning. NEP, while commenting on the MBBS degree, (it says the “quality of MBBS doctors being produced has been deteriorating”) wants high quality doctors should be produced and the graduates should possess medical skills, diagnostic skills, surgical skill and emergency skills. On the lighter side…….”s” is missing in their possession for many!!!! NEP recommends that AYUSH be given and will be given equal importance in Indian healthcare system. Pluralistic education system is what NEP envisages in the reforms and recommends bridging across systems. What it means is students from nursing, dental disciplines will be allowed lateral entry to MBBS course.

A common entrance examination will be in place for MBBS and postgraduate degree with an exit clause. This exit clause will help the graduates to spend more time in their residency a re- join the postgraduate course. Makes sense.

Allied health education for cost-effective healthcare delivery if introduced will be beneficial to several rural people: What is means?: A certificate skills-based training programme (minimum 1 to 2 years with significant on-the-job training) for General Duty Assistants (GDA), Emergency Medical Technicians-Basic (EMT-B) and Laboratory Technicians will be introduced for the benefit of employment in rural Primary Health Centres (PHC). One good suggestion is that the syllabus for these courses will be standardised pan-India. …….like the syllabus for the schools. The training these certificate holders will get will be state of the art training at top hospitals. These courses will be made accessible and affordable to students from rural backgrounds.

Focus will also be given to priority areas like physiotherapy, hospital management, medical engineering and technology, etc. All the district hospitals will be upgraded to teaching hospitals by augmenting the infrastructure facilities. Good news for those MBBS candidates seeking PG admissions.

The PG seats will be increased at the earliest, once the district hospitals are upgraded with adequate infrastructure. New medical colleges and hospitals that have an adequate number of patients and well trained Teaching faculty will be allowed to start postgraduate courses and district hospitals will move towards having a medical college attached to them. Diploma courses such as the one being offered by the College of Physicians and Surgeons, Mumbai, will be promoted throughout the country, to help produce sufficient numbers of intermediate specialists.

Well everything in healthcare looks good and has a positive approach. Hope these initiatives are implemented at the earliest by the new board that will be constituted to look into healthcare system in India.