Nagpur :
Nagpur already draws majority of its patient load, both in government as well as in private sector hospitals, from the neighbouring states of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh , and bordering districts of Andhra Pradesh. This medical reach can be extended to other states like Odisha etc, which are not medically well-equipped, provided the city gets the state-of-the-art infrastructure in all branches, specialities and super-specialities of medicine and the expert doctors in these fields.
Since the Maharashtra chief minister is from city and a neighbour, I wish that he takes steps to develop Nagpur as a medical hub for not only Central India but also entire country and even for patients from foreign countries where medicine is expensive and the patients have to wait for years for a planned surgery on a priority basis. This will not just bring money and employment to local people but also bring Nagpur on the global medical tourism map.
Almost 80% of patients visiting private practitioners like me are from neighbouring states. Many even come from abroad who after taking treatment stay back to visit some of the national sanctuaries in the region. But all this is very unorganized and happening in isolation.
Doctors here are well-qualified and trained in almost all specialities. Unfortunately, everyone is in the rat race to earn more. So, government will have to step in like in the case of some metros. If Fadnavis government makes a concrete plan for the next five years and starts working on it, I am sure after ten years Nagpur will be known for cheaper but state-of-the-art diagnostic and treatment facilities.
Actually, it is the right time to start developing required infrastructure to make the city a medical hub and medical tourism centre. If it is not done now, we will miss the bus looking at the ongoing pace of developments in adjoining states. To begin with, in the first year the government can bring in modern technology, equipment etc while in the next four years it can complete the process of roping in the best doctors for each speciality.
For me, the idea of medical hub is creating a multispeciality centre, like at Bombay Hospital in Mumbai, which should be the best in the country. Practising specialists from different fields should be appointed for the hospital on honorarium basis and given a set number of hours but should not be bound to the hospital. They should be appointed based on their academics record and skills and not on age and experience. It should be an autonomous facility where government should walk out after creating the infrastructure. The charges for different treatments and procedures should be fixed. However, the faculty should be the best in the country even if they are visiting doctors.
With AIIMS coming up in the city, the job will get much easier for Fadnavis government. Being a teaching and research hospital, AIIMS will already have topmost experts from the country. The doctors there too can be attached to this private set up but in a very well researched and unique manner. Even the administrative part of this set up will need innovative approach.
(The writer, Dr Madan Kapre, is a well-known ENT specialist)
source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / The Times of India / Home> City> Nagpur / December 30th, 2014
