MAKING QUACKS INTO PARAMEDICS

Minutes of the meeting convened by Hon’ble Chief Minister on
26th September, 2008 at 4.30 pm to discuss mainstreaming of
Rural Medical Practitioners in the Health Delivery System of the
State and other issues relating to Health Department.
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Hon’ble Chief Minister convened a meeting with the
representatives of Rural Medical Practitioners / Private Medical
Practitioners to discuss their demand for training, certification and
formal integration into the Health Delivery System of the State.
Hon’ble Minister (Health & Family Welfare), Minister (Medical Education
& Health Insurance) and Minister (Agriculture) participated in the
discussions. The list of representatives of RMPs / PMPs, and officers
attended the meeting is annexed.
Prl. Secretary, HM & FW made a brief presentation on the
proposal to formally integrate Rural Medical Practitioners in the Health
Delivery System through a process of training, examination and
certification by AP Paramedical Board. On such certification, RMPs will
be called “Community Paramedics” and thereupon they will be
permitted to dispense with pre-defined medical and health services
to the general public. Community paramedics will, however, not
call themselves as doctors and not prescribe / dispense any schedule
drugs other than household remedies as permitted under the Drugs
& Cosmetics Act. The contents of training, eligibility criteria for
selection into the training were also discussed and finalized in
consultation with the representatives of the RMPs / PMPs.
It was estimated that there were 90,000 RMPs in the State
which would qualify for training and certification. The cost of training,
examination and certification was tentatively worked at Rs. 5000/-
per candidate. It was planned to train all eligible candidates over a
2
period of 3 years at a cost of Rs. 45 crores. During the current
financial year, a provision of Rs. 5 crores was available under the AP
Health Sector Reforms Project funded by the DFID and the training
could be commenced with these funds.
The representatives of RMPs/ PMPs, Indian Medical Association,
AP Medical Council and the Jana Vignana Vedika unanimously
supported the Department’s proposal. Hon’ble Chief Minister
accordingly approved the proposal for the training, examination and
certification of the RMPs to be organized under the aegis of AP
Paramedical Board. Hon’ble Chief Minister also advised that a “code of
conduct” should be evolved for the Community Paramedics and a
‘regulatory mechanism’ be also established to regulate their working
in the State in accordance with the ‘Code of Conduct’. Hon’ble Chief
Minister also directed the department to select properly structured
training institutions and also to prepare appropriate syllabus for the
RMPs / PMPs. AP Paramedical Board was accordingly asked to submit
a proposal for approval of the Government.
The meeting also discussed the progress of introduction of
mobile vans under the Fixed Day Health Service Scheme (104). The
CEO, HMRI informed that 330 mobile vans were planned to be
introduced in all the districts of the State by the end of November,
2008 and the remaining 145 vans during the months of December,
2008 / January, 2009. The Commissioner (Family Welfare) was
permitted to enter into a fresh Memorandum of Understanding with
HMRI for the introduction of the above mobile vans under the Fixed
Day Health Service Scheme in all districts of the State.
The meeting ended with a Vote of Thanks to the Chair.
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Annexure
List of participants:
1. Sri P.K. Agarwal, IAS, Principal Secretary, HM & FW Dept.
2. Sri Anil Punetha, IAS, CFW & E.O. Prl. Secy., HM & FW Dept.
3. Sri SE Sekhar Babu, IAS, Secretary(W&P), Finance
4. Sri RP Meena, IPS, DG, Drugs Control
5. Sri R. Ranga Rao, Director, Drugs Control
6. Dr. D. Ranganath
7. Sri A. Ravi Kumar, Joint Secretary to Govt., HM&FW Dept
8. Sri B.N.S. Kumar, Secretary, A.P. Para Medical Board
9. Dr. K. Sankara Narayana, Secretary to Commr, APVVP
10. Dr. A. Rajayogaiah, Addl. Director, O/o. Director, Health
11. Dr.Y. Ravinder Rao, APNA, State President
12. Dr. K. Ramesh Reddy, Member, AP Medical Council
13. Sri N. Rajeswara Rao,President, AP RMP/PMP Welfare Assn.,
14. Sri P. Venkanna, General Secretary,AP RMP/PMP Welfare Assn.
15. Sri Ganta Nancharaiah, President, State Ikya Vedika
16. Dr Md. Thaher, State General Secretary, Ikya Vedika
17. Sri Ch. Bala Brahmachary, AP State Working President, Ikyavedika
18. Sri GS Prasad, REMPA Organising Secretary
19. Sri D. Abraham Federation Dev. Chairman
20. Sri L. Atchi Reddy, Federation Working Secretary
21. Sri Ch. Shanku Mudiraj, Federation, Genl. Secretary
22. Sri Ch. Venkateswara Rao, President (AP) PMP Assn. India
23. Sri B. Venkateswarlu, GVSS Khammam President
24. Sri V. Veerachary, GVSS General Secretary, Khammam.
25. Sri T. Ramesh, Jana Vignana Vedika, AP,Hyderabad
26. Dr. A.P. Rangarao, Health Advisor, HMRI
27. Dr. U. Balaji, CEO, HMRI
28. Gr. Capt. CRR Sastry, CAO, HMRI
29. Sri Bandaru Sriivasa Rao, Media Advisor, HMRI
30. Sri Ashok Reddy, Head, HMRI, HRD
31. Sri VR Raghavan, HMRI
32. Sri Dharma Raju, Head, HMRI Call Centre
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