A Study of Healthcare Entrepreneurship in Rural Andhra Pradesh: Focus on Rural Medical Practitioners

Abstract

Rural Medical Practitioner (RMPs) constitutes an important source of healthcare in India, especially in the rural areas. They are the most preferred and considered to be the first contact person for medical care in the rural areas as well asin urban slums. The present study aims at identifying their number, characteristics and the nexus with the qualified doctors through a case study of Prakasam district in Andhra Pradesh. The RMPs have no professional qualification and no license to practice any system of medicine. They practice on the basis of work experience in hospitals and clinics. There were around 90,000 of them working all over the State and gained experience in treating various illnesses serving people in underserved areas. They cannot call themselves ‘Doctors’ but will be called community paramedics after going through the examination and training. After examination, all successful candidates will be awarded certificates as ‘Community Paramedics’ and registered by AP Para Medical Board. But the services of RMPs are of paramount importance in the rural areas due to the dearth of hospitals and qualified doctors.In 2008 the government of AP suggested that training programmes for RMPs be organized to integrate them into the health delivery system and as an entrepreneurship for the livelihood of educated rural youth, but yet no such initiative has been undertaken.The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of RMPs and their practice in the healthcare entrepreneurship and the efforts of Andhra Pradesh Paramedical Board to mainstream the RMPs in the health care delivery system. About 90 percent of the RMPs are from the deprived social groups. They are relatively young and a majority of them have more than 12 years of education.It is in the public interest to train the educated RMPs and regulate their services. This study will come out with possible findings from the perspective of 50 RMPs.