Telangana: Mid-level Ayurveda doctors to be trained in basic Allopathy care

The State government has accorded permission to the health department to conduct a bridge course titled Certificate Programme in Community Health

Hyderabad: Paving the way to integrate practitioners of Ayurveda into Allopathy-based clinical services at government healthcare facilities, the State government has accorded permission to the health department to conduct a bridge course titled Certificate Programme in Community Health (CPCH).

The CPCH will comprise 85 days of theory and practical training for Bachelor in Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) mid-level health providers and offered through Kaloji Narayana Rao University of Heath Sciences (KNRUHS).

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The BAMS practitioners among others will be provided training in communicable diseases, NCDs, mental health, dental care, eye care and ENT, common medical conditions and emergencies apart from records of vital events and reporting.

The Commissioner of Health and Family Welfare has directed the District Medical and Health Officers (DM&HOs) and Superintendents of government training facilities to commence the CPCH training from November 23.

The move to launch a bridge course for mid-level Ayurveda practitioners is to strengthen health sub-centres at the local level so that they can provide comprehensive primary care to people in rural areas.

Senior health officials said there is ample evidence globally indicating that suitably trained service providers can provide considerable primary care at the local level i.e. in sub-centres and PHCs.

Qualified Ayurveda doctors and nurses, who are already available in the healthcare system, could be trained in public health and primary care through bridge programs on Community Health, senior doctors said.

Such qualified human resource will function as mid-level heath care providers and will be called as ‘Community Health Officers (CHOs)’ and posted at health sub centres.

The local DM&HOs and Superintendents will monitor the attendance of the students during the field visits. The bridge course will have a total of 126 hours for theory classes while another 300 hours will be dedicated to clinical/practical training at designated government health care facilities.