MAHARASHTRA UNIVERSITY OF HEALTH SCIENCES, NASHIK

 

 

                                                              

 

 

 

Educational Reforms & Its Impact -

                 HEALTH SCIENCE EDUCATION

 

 - Paper Presented By -

Dr. Dayanand Dongaonkar

Vice-Chancellor

MAHARASHTRA UNIVERSITY OF HEALTH SCIENCES, NASHIK

 

Educational Reforms & Its Impact -

                           HEALTH SCIENCE EDUCATION

                                                         

        Dr. Dayanand Dongaonkar,

                                                                                                                        M.S. Orth., F.C.P.S., D.Orth                                        

 Vice-Chancellor,

 Maharashtra University of Health         

 Sciences, Gangapur Raod,

 Nashik 400 013.

 

India is a vast subcontinent with the population of more than 100 crores with varied socio-economic back ground.  As far as health facilities are concerned, because of  variations in Socio-economic factors, there are variations in health care facilities in the country.  Even though we have large number of doctors from different faculties of medicine, there is serious mal-distribution of these doctors. There is clear urban and rural division. There is concentration of doctors in urban areas, whereas there is serious paucity of doctors in rural areas.  Even though in urban areas, there are good number of doctors, standard varies from place to place and individual to individual, Socio-economic factors affect the quality of health care, equally important is the quality of health sciences education.

Slide –1

Historical Background 

India has rich traditions of Ayurved since 5,000 years. It has rich information of promotive and preventive health care.  But over the years, it has lost continuity of its research, quality upgradation and did not keep pace with development of modern science.  Modern medicine was introduced in India by Britishers; the first educational institutes were established in 1st half of 19th century.

            1826    -           Medical College, Calcutta      

1835    -           Medical College, Madras        

            1843    -           Grant Medical college, Mumbai                      

            Even though the modern  medicine education was started in India, there were no organised health care education facilities all over the country.  It took long time for spreading of this education system.  After independence, there was gradual expansion of this system but during last 20 years it has mushroomed haphazardly.

 

As far as modern medicine is concerned, health sciences education is planned by the Medical Council of India, which was established in 1934.  It regulates colleges and its standards through the Universities in the state but has no definite control on number of institutions.  In addition to modern Medicine colleges, we have other institutions of health sciences like Ayurved, Homoeopathy, Dentistry, Unani etc. Across the country, there is variable standard of education and infrastructure.  Even though, we are all governed by the same Council, the quality of doctors produced is in a variable spectrum of standards.

Slide - 2

            In post independent India, there is always cry about deteriorating standards of health care education in the country.  The major factors responsible for are considered to be :-

(a)               Lack of administrative authority.                                            

(b)               Lack of financial authority.                                                     

(c)               Lack of policy making authority to the professionals.

Slide – 3

To improve this situation many attempts have been made. The Govt. of India in 1943, appointed the Health Survey & Development Committee  with Sir Joseph Bhore as chairman to survey the then existing position regarding the health conditions and health organisation in the country.  The committee, put forward for the first time, comprehensive proposals for the development of National Programme of health services for the  country.  There was no policy consideration on health sciences education by this committee.

            It is observed that since Independence the Standard of Health Education is going down. As such, on the lines of University Grants Commission, separate commission for health sciences education was recommended in 1975 by Shrivastav Committee. In 1983, Ministry of Public Health & Family Welfare appointed Medical Education Review Committee. The said Committee strongly recommended establishment of Health Sciences Universities at State level.  In 1987 "Health Manpower Planning, Production and Management Committee" was appointed under the Chairmanship of Dr. J. S. Bajaj. This expert committee also recommended  establishment of Universities for Health Sciences and reiterated that a separate Commission need to be appointed for Medical & Health Education on the lines of University Grants Commission and the said commission should lay emphasis on Quality Education in various faculties of Medicine. Later on, Ministry of Public Health & Family Welfare appointed a committee under the Chairmanship of Prof. Rais Ahmed  to study the establishment of Health Sciences Universities. The said  committee stressed  the need of such Universities and opined that such Universities should have faculties of Medicine, Dentistry, Ayurved & Unani, Homoeopathy, Allied Health Science  including Pharmacy.

            Central Govt. under the Ministry of Public Health & Family Welfare accepted the idea of having separate Commission on Health Science Education and creation of independent Health Science Universities in July 1993. Govt. of India appointed Prof. Mukherjee committee in 1995 to review the outcome of health sciences universities of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.  Dr. Mukharjee clearly opined that health sciences universities have contributed to upgrade quality of education and also suggested the need to enhance education in Allied Health Sciences.  The committee further opined that the Health Sciences University should be able to devise, syllabi, curricula and bridge courses to fulfill their needs.  All public Health Training Institutions should be affiliated to the Health Sciences Universities.   Health Sciences University should also be responsible to direct, supervise & guide training for Health Services Personnel & ensure quality & effectiveness of training.

Slide – 4

Health Sciences Universities were established as follows :-

1)     NTR University of Health Sciences, Vijaywada, AP                               -           1986

2)     MGR Health Sciences University, Chennai,  Tamil Nadu                      -           1987

3)     Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences, Banglore, Karnataka        -           1994

4)     Maharashtra University of Health Sciences, Nashik                              -          1998 

5)     Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Faridkot, Punjab                  -           1998

Slide - 5

   

National scenario of health sciences education

Faculty wise colleges in the country with admission capacity & with numbers of  Registered Drs.

 

Medical

Dental

Ayurved

Homoeopathy

Unani

Total

No. of coll

182

134

198

166

37

     717

Intake capa

19190

8110

7000

7450

--

  41,750

Regd. Drs

5,49,867

35,000

4,27,504

1,94,147

16,599

12,23,117

Slide - 6

STATEWISE NUMBER OF MEDICAL COLLEGES IN THE COUNTRY

                                

Name of the State/Union

Territories

No. of Medical Colleges

Number of

Admissions

No. of Registered

Drs.

Andhra Pradesh

16

1781

43102

Assam

03

0391

14135

Bihar

11

0700

32226

Chandigharh

01

0050

 

Delhi

04

0460

31694

Goa

01

0070

01916

Gujarat

10

1145

32177

Haryana

01

0150

01065

Himachal Prdesh

02

0115

 

Jammu & Kashmir

04

0380

06344

Karnataka

24

3005

57307

Kerala

07

0900

26757

Madhya Pradesh

07

0820

18181

Maharashtra

35

3540

66477

Manipur

01

0100

 

Orissa

03

0321

14009

Pondicherry

03

0175

 

Punjab

06

0520

31209

Rajasthan

06

0600

20230

Tamilnadu

17

1850

63434

Uttar Pradesh

13

1212

40672

West Bengal

07

0805

48932

Total

182

19,190

5,49,867


Slide – 7

Maharashtra State  scenario of health sciences education

Facultywise colleges in the state of Maharashtra with admission capacity & with numbers of Registered Drs.

 

Medical                      

Dental

Ayurved       

Homoeopathy

Unani

Allied H.Sc.

Total

No. of coll.

34

+1

16

50

39

6

29

174

+1

Intake capa

3255

1100

2470

2860

300

690

10675

 

Regi. Drs

69,351

8,383

38,024

32,645

--

--

1,48,403

Slide – 8

Doctor Population Ratio

 

Medical

Dental

Ayurved

Homoeopathy

Multidisc.

(M/Aur/H)

SRIVASTAV COM.(1975)

1M,1F=5,000

1 : 2500

 

 

DGHS (1993)

1 :  3500

 

National

1819

28571

2339

5151

854

Maharashtra