As reported in http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-06-18/nagpur/29673686_1_ngos-gadchiroli-programme
GADCHIROLI: Maharashtra government, as part of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), has launched an ambitious programme to provide health services in remote areas through mobile medical units (MMUs). The initiative was launched on Friday with state health minister Suresh Shetty commissioning two MMUs at district hospital Gadchiroli.
The programme aims at providing health services to the rural population at their doorstep through 40 well-equipped MMUs. It will be implemented with support from non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in various districts. Besides providing emergency and diagnostic services, MMUs are equipped to conduct deliveries of babies.
The minister later also commissioned a MMU in Gondia, another Naxal affected district of state. The programme will be an alternative health service delivery system for remote areas where the government sector has failed to reach out for various reasons including reluctance on part of doctors and paramedics to serve in such areas. The MMUs will be given to different tribal districts. Gadchiroli gets most number of vehicles (four) while Gondia and Nandurbar will get three each. All the other districts, except Mumbai, will get one vehicle each.
Shetty told TOI that since government had not completed selection of NGOs in each district, the health ministry was initiating the programme at with support from the local 'Rugna Kalyan Samitis' or RKS which are generally government-supported agencies run by local leaders. In Gadchiroli, government has decided to give the first MMU to SEARCH, an NGO run by Dr Abhay and Rani Bang. "Another option was the Lok Biradari project run by Dr Prakash Amte but Dr Amte did not show any inclination for it," Shetty added.
Shetty said the government was unable to find suitable NGOs for the programme given tough criteria specified-a 50-bedded hospital, annual turnover of Rs 25 lakh, and the NGO must be at least three years old. "We are willing to relax the conditions in places like Gadchiroli provided NGOs apply for it," he said.
Dr Abhay Bang, while showing willingness to work the programme, demanded more flexibility. "Government schemes usually do not take into account local situation. The condition in this programme that the doctor for MMU should be a woman and an MBBS is an example. Just relaxing norms for NGO would not suffice. It could lead to wrong selection. NGO should be selected on its credibility," he said.
GADCHIROLI: Maharashtra government, as part of the National Rural Health Mission (NRHM), has launched an ambitious programme to provide health services in remote areas through mobile medical units (MMUs). The initiative was launched on Friday with state health minister Suresh Shetty commissioning two MMUs at district hospital Gadchiroli.
The programme aims at providing health services to the rural population at their doorstep through 40 well-equipped MMUs. It will be implemented with support from non-governmental organizations (NGOs) in various districts. Besides providing emergency and diagnostic services, MMUs are equipped to conduct deliveries of babies.
The minister later also commissioned a MMU in Gondia, another Naxal affected district of state. The programme will be an alternative health service delivery system for remote areas where the government sector has failed to reach out for various reasons including reluctance on part of doctors and paramedics to serve in such areas. The MMUs will be given to different tribal districts. Gadchiroli gets most number of vehicles (four) while Gondia and Nandurbar will get three each. All the other districts, except Mumbai, will get one vehicle each.
Shetty told TOI that since government had not completed selection of NGOs in each district, the health ministry was initiating the programme at with support from the local 'Rugna Kalyan Samitis' or RKS which are generally government-supported agencies run by local leaders. In Gadchiroli, government has decided to give the first MMU to SEARCH, an NGO run by Dr Abhay and Rani Bang. "Another option was the Lok Biradari project run by Dr Prakash Amte but Dr Amte did not show any inclination for it," Shetty added.
Shetty said the government was unable to find suitable NGOs for the programme given tough criteria specified-a 50-bedded hospital, annual turnover of Rs 25 lakh, and the NGO must be at least three years old. "We are willing to relax the conditions in places like Gadchiroli provided NGOs apply for it," he said.
Dr Abhay Bang, while showing willingness to work the programme, demanded more flexibility. "Government schemes usually do not take into account local situation. The condition in this programme that the doctor for MMU should be a woman and an MBBS is an example. Just relaxing norms for NGO would not suffice. It could lead to wrong selection. NGO should be selected on its credibility," he said.