Posts Tagged ‘Services’
May 29th, 2010 | 
Author: Â
A survey conducted by the India office of the international non-governmental organisation, Transparency International, reveals that, according to peopleâ??s actual experiences, the health service is the most corrupt service sector in India. It ranks India as one of the 30 most corrupt countries in the world. Indifferent treatment of patients, unofficial payments to providers, lack of patient privacy, and inadequate provision of medicines and supplies are some of the most common demerits and malpractices prevailing in the health services in India.
The survey, conducted with private marketing research company ORG-Marg Research, interviewed some 5000 citizens in a household survey to assess the publicâ??s perception of corruption. It covered 10 sectors with a direct bearing on peopleâ??s lives, including education, health, the police, the judiciary, and power utilities.
Too high medicinal cost accompanied by doctorâ??s consultation fees has made the proper medical treatment to become out of the reach of Indian common man, especially in the rural areas where neither licensed medical stores nor qualified doctors are available and malpractices of the Primary Health Centres, available generally in rural towns only, are well known and are practically forfeiting the veritable purpose of PHCâ??s there. As a result thereof, not only the market of non-qualitative and banned drugs and medicines is flourishing day by day, but the unqualified doctors also are emerging fast and plundering the poor mass. On account of insufficient availability of generic medicines (patent based medicines which are cheaply produced by another process) the patients are compelled to purchase high priced branded medicines.
An analysis of drug market in India by the â??World Health Organisationâ?? (WHO) also reveals that Indian pharmaceutical companies are charging very high prices of medicines from patients. In India, the pharmaceutical companies are earning profits even up to ten times or more of the production cost in case of both branded and unbranded medicines. Not only is this, but the companies, by printing high retail price, are letting the sellers too to earn abnormal profits. Like the ratio between production cost and whole sale price, in many cases the retail price also is ten times or more of the whole sale price. The anti-allergic tablet named as â??Citrazineâ?? of â??Cipla Pharmaceuticalsâ?? is an example. High retail prices of patented and generic medicines are making the general mass to resort to unauthentic and duplicate medicines produced by unlicensed pharmaceutical units. That is why the influence of unauthentic, unlicensed and duplicate medicine producing units in Indian drug market is day by day increasing whereby the people are being badly hit on account of low effectiveness and severe side-effects of the medicines produced by these companies. Many times the doctors too, having been affected by the commission based and gift based sale strategies of the companies producing duplicate medicines, prescribe these medicines without paying heed to the compositions and the bad effects on health on account of the use of these medicines. In some cases the sellers (chemists) let aside the prescription of doctor and sell these medicines especially to the illiterate or docile customers. Not only is this, but the manufacturing companies of these medicines also establish their links even to the government medicine purchasing authorities and seek supply orders. Not only the substandard medicines but even those harmful medicines are being produced and sold in bulks in the Indian market which stand banned at international level. Â
Medicines are very precious for human life and have become at present a good part of trade. Therefore, the government should take strong and effective steps to make the qualitative and cheap medicines easily available to the people. The government also should take proper measures against malpractices prevailing in the market of medicines and should instil awareness of medicine consumers against these malpractices. Such organisations should be encouraged which manufacture medicines according to the international standards but at low cost so as to make cheap medicines available in the market. The â??Low Cost Standard Therapeutics (LOCOST)â?? trust at Baroda is a good example of such an organisation. This trust is making cheap production in 90 formulations of about 60 necessary medicines to cater the need of poor and needy patients. Moreover, The launching of the â??public use medicines easy availability programmeâ?? by the Department of Pharmaceuticals of the central government through 100 public stores of generic drugs, planned to be opened up to December 2009, is worth appreciation.
To solve the problems like that of substandard medicines, harmful and banned medicines and unjustified profit margin a central drugs regulatory system has now become acutely and pressingly needed. The issue of permission as regards to the trading of imported medicines also will be settled by such regulatory system.
The government is encouraging and helping the establishment of small pharmaceutical units. Similar cooperation should be extended to the market extension of their products. The condition of minimum turnover should be relaxed in case of small units. In the present period of prevailing depression the small and medium pharmaceutical industries should be helped through stimulus package to protect them in big market. This type of measures will protect the poor and general medical consumers against their being plundered through high prices by providing them cheap medicines. Moreover, it will help making India a medicine hub.
Studies have shown that health care utilisation has been a long standing concern for most of the developing countries and is sensitive to user perceptions of quality. Patient perceptions of health services thence form an important part of health care quality assessment. Â Therefore, ways and means should be found out to give potentiality to important elements of making the health system adequately effective to make health services fully responsive to peopleâ??s needs and expectations.
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An alternative career in health services can be pursued in a quality institution after a lot of search. Established in 1825 the George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Services has been functioning as one of the oldest teaching hospitals in the country. For building up a blooming career in health services the institute offers various avenues.
Seeking an alternative career in health services requires searching through a number of quality institutions to find out the best avenues offered in the line. Established way back in the year 1825, the George Washington University School of Medicine and health services academics was granted the use of Washington Infirmary by the Congress in 1844. Standing as one of the oldest general teaching hospitals in the country, the school is now a part of the George Washington Medical Center.
Component Institutes for medical service aspirants
With the university hospital, health science library highly experienced medical faculty associates as well as the school of public health and health services there are ample opportunities for building up the career in health services for the aspirant students.
Course Structure supporting health career
Four years semi traditional course is followed in the school helps gradual build up of health career. Introduction to clinical setting in the first two years besides teaching on basic science helps providing a platform for future improvements. The focus of building up health career would be on -
• Studies in normal human biology and function including basic medical science courses in the first year itself become a good learning ground for students.
Focus on abnormal human biology, pharmacology, pathology, microbiology, and psychopathology.
Initial studies carried on in core curriculum and thereafter the students migrating to interdisciplinary organ system.
Adequate clerkship in the major clinical disciplines as well as primary care clerkship.
Studies including compulsory “acting internship” in medicine, pediatrics or family practices courses in anesthesiology, emergency medicine, and neuroscience
Studies in urology, orthopedics, otolaryngology, pediatric surgery, as well as ophthalmology.
Carrying out a course in medical decision making including one didactic course.
Additional training is provided in affiliate institutions in United States and abroad.
Unique Programs for alternative health care career
• It grows in conjunction with mainstream health care needs.
• Energy healing, herbal medicine, acupuncture, aromatherapy, naturopathy are particular areas of alternative health care.
• Combined studies like MD-PhD and GWBS programs help build up an alternative career of the student in the field of medical science.
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In midst of the diverse socio-cultural land of America, experience of minorities with their historical visages has always been rendered execrably pathetic with their health rates deteriorating with each passing decade.
Many social factors like racial subjugation, poverty and inaccessibility of government resources are rendering them more vulnerable as compared to people belonging to other communities.
In-spite of having highest level of health problems, members belonging to minority racial groups are least inclined in utilizing health services. Recognizing this fact, National Institute of Health time and again announces grants to induce organizations dealing with the health related issues among minorities to reach their doors imbibing in them importance of health care and maintenance. Promotion of health among males was one of their initiatives making racial and ethnic minority males as their target.
This funding opportunity was opened for those who proposed to expand the research towards the health of minority men. The research had to be conducted to increase understanding of socio-demographic, social and cultural factors responsible for the deteriorating health rate among males and their subpopulations. Its other purpose was catering to the applications, which had been imploring upon the development and testing of health promoting devices to reduce health disparities among the racially and ethnic diverse populations.
The total project period announced was of two years with direct costs allowed up to
$275,000 over an R21 two-year period, with not more than $200,000 as direct costs was allowed to spend in one year.
Applicants could also request for the direct costs of up to $25,000 modules, with the direct costs limitation of $275,000 in a combined two-year award period. Applicants had to follow the policies as described in the NIH Grants Policy Statement.
Any public/State Controlled sectors or institutions of Higher education referred as Nonprofit status with 501(c)(3) IRS Status or Nonprofit without 501(c)(3) IRS Status and many small businessmen or profit oriented organizations, any state government, tribal government or any other organizations or institutions working for the upliftment of the minorities were deemed eligible for the grants to carry on with the said project.
Even individuals having skills or knowledge and necessary resources to move forward with the proposed project were also invited to work along with his/her organization and individuals having disabilities were also applicable to apply.
For the sex related diseases too, there was a grant proposal to evaluate Locally Developed (Homegrown) HIV Prevention Interventions for African-American and Hispanic/Latino Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM). The grant for the same was announced on 27th January 2009.
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Posted in health service | 
Tags: Among, Communities, From, Government, Grants, Health, Minority, Promote, Services | 
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