The current argument that rural health will be hit without so called Bachelor of Rural Health Care(BRHC) proposed by former president of MCI is difficult to understand.This move was opposed by all allopathic doctors in the begining itself for the simple reason that there is nothing like rural medicine and urban medicine.The only reason why rural people not having access to modern medicine is failure of state governments to start more hospitals with adequate facilities or atleast primary health centres in remote villages. Private practice in rural areas is unsustainable for MBBS doctors as the paying capacity of village people is less.Many state governments are more interested in giving subsidies than incentives to encourage those MBBS doctors who want to practice in remote villages and tribal areas.Professional courses like Law,Engineering or Medicine are same world wide and nobody can make out how much is enough to practice them in villages where even today there is little access to emergency life saving equipment(Laryngoscopes,Endotracheal tubes,Ambubag etc) or drugs( Eg.Anti-snake venom,Anti-rabies vaccine) even in many government run hospitals.

This course now contradicts the positive and affirmative approach by the health minister to give every district a medical college.This step , a long due and long requested will change the rural health access possibly prevention of so many disease .
Before such courses( BRMS) are implemented a study need to be carried out to assess as to what percentage of these rural medicine bachelor degree holder doctors will migrate to metros and not serve the rural areas.
This can be done by analysing the place of practice of all the MBBS and PG qualified doctors who have got elevated from rural living and rural schooling, precisely rural or small town background and after qualifying MBBS / PG are not practicing in rural areas and have chosen the urban areas. Vice versa what percentage after passing out has gone to their roots and are practicing in rural areas and small towns. Reservation in medical seats , if at all , had one dream advantage or wishful thinking that these candidates after qualifying will practice in their home town or talluka or tehsil or village for that matter . But they too chose to go to metropolises and bigger , urban settings.

Remember infrastructure for Bachelor in Rural medicine will not be different than what is required for an MBBS.

My fear is that there will be additional burden in the Urban medical colleges, AIIMS and centres of excellence to handle the messed up cases . Life is important to every one and when the game starts …jabtak saans hai tab tak aas hai ( As long as breath is there there is hope.) and here we are with the exploitation by corporate to flees and ransack the village poor. We have learned enough of lessons with Timozolamide and alike drugs that give few months extra of life for few lacs spent… money acquired by selling land , hut house and jewelry and body in many cases,through crime in many cases.

Restrictions and pre conditions you put, I can assure you that pass out from this course will add to the teaming populations of quacks in metropolises and the rural population will remain deprived.

WE have no way to analyse as to what shall be the preference of a village an MBBS or PG qualfied bade Daktar Sahab or these bachelors or Rural Medicine, who are already available there in abundance as RMP LMPs and QQMPs qualified in quackery in medical practice.

The interest shown by the court in this issue of starting Bachelor of Rural Health Care(BRHC) is really surprising.Already many young women and children in villages are suffering in the hands of quacks who in the name of cheap treatment are exploiting them and rendering their health problems worse with their gimmicks.Till now no government or Non-governmental organization or Indian Medical association has gone to court or done anything against this menace of quacks.The so called bachelor of Rural Medicine and Surgery was the trick played by Dr Ketan Desai who had full support of health ministry in this regard.The idea was to start colleges in villages and get more money as bribes after giving permissions etc. He is now in jail but his idea is let loose on doctors. Already in our state many nursing colleges have mushroomed and once money is paid, one can get nursing degree or Diploma just by attending classes or hospital work for six months. Nobody is serious about this and anybody can become a recognised nurse without proper training.The same will be the state of this course.The politicians may get more money and there will be more unemployment among medical people. The MCI should make it clear that there is no need for half doctors and starting more medical colleges in rural areas can solve the problem.

It is surprising that IMA has not done enough in influencing and preventing union ministry from going ahead with this just short of stupidity program of BRHC. This is nothing but all are equal and some are more equal. Hapless rural Indians will be subjected to the legalised quackery of BRHC graduates.
Instead present government should allow more intake by government medical colleges by easily upgrading the facilities there by spending just few more crores and making rural practice a must instead of allowing building or starting or imposing such temples of quackery.

Bachelor Rural Health Care: Every citizen of this country need to understand the basic concept of Health and Health care services and Health Education Pattern in Country. Personally I so not know why Union Government is so fanatic about few of its decisions on health care to start BRHC course and spending Rs.7,000/- Cr to purchase and distribute mobile phones for Below Poverty Line(BPL) Families.
What curriculum Honourable and Humble Justice Rajiv Shakdher is expecting to finalise for Non-physician course? Whatever curriculum MCI may prepare, it may not be enhanced than the curriculum prepared for the BSc Nursing Course. When this is the fact, why don’t Union Government think of promoting the existing nursing personal to the field practice or rural services with little guidance and practical skills? As such over 80% of the AYUSH doctors are not able to perform their skills due to lack of materials. What is best the new BRHC’s can do over the qualified AYUSH practitioners? Why don’t we enhance the skills of the present AYUSH and Indian System of Medicine practitioners with frequent training and accreditation? Union Government should focus on the essence of essential primary health care which is in need of basic primary health care provider and for primary health care we do not need 626 New Medical Colleges and Rs.20,000/- to establish them. W need paramedical force to enhance preventive and promotive health care.

Why should those living in rural areas be served by lesser-qualified doctors?
`Something is better than nothing’ approach must not apply to an important issue like health.
Instead of starting a medical course of lesser duration, why can’t the Government start medical colleges in rural areas to prepare MBBS doctors so as to make available permanent standard medical care there?