Around 15000 young BHMS degree holders come out of 200+ homeopathic colleges every year. Already there are 280000 registered homeopaths in India. With only 7349 govt dispensaries and 216 hospitals, job opportunities and career prospects of these budding homeopaths very dark. Quality of education and training they get in these colleges being very very poor, it is very difficult for them to establish in private practice. Even if they start a clinic and try to survive, it will take minimum 5 years to get established and earn for their livelihood, which is very difficult with out an effective support system. Most of them are compelled to work as under-paid RMOs or 'night doctors' in allopathy hospitals for subsistence. They are compelled to do allopathic practice. Gradually, most of them convert themselves into full time 'quack' allopathic practice, which is the end of their homeopathic career.
Homeopathic professional bodies, Central Council and State Councils of Homeopathy, and Govt of India should take this issue very seriously, if we want homeopathy to exist here.
A financial supporting system has to be established to provide some sort of stipends or subsistence allowances to fresh homeopaths for a period of 5 years after getting their registration, on the conditions that they will practice pure homeopathy, and that he would treat a minimum number of poor patients free of cost. Such an arrangement will be a great boost also to our public healthcare system.
This project need not be limited to freshers only. Any homeopath willing to be part of this project should be incorporated. Govt will not loose any money by this project, since the money given to the homeopaths will be returned in the form of free health care to the poor. Actually, govt is getting a lot of 'free dispensaries' all over the country without any establishment investment, by implementing this project.
By 'NATIONAL HOMEOPATHIC ENTREPRENEUR START-UP PROJECT (NHESP)' we are not asking for anything free from the government. We are asking for mutually beneficial contract:
'We will help the government in delivering free healthcare to the poor, which is the responsibility of the government- Government shall compensate us for our free service'. That is all.
Providing free health care facilities for the needy people is the responsibility of the government, which demands big investments. By implementing 'NATIONAL HOMEOPATHIC ENTREPRENEUR START-UP PROJECT (NHESP)', government can save much money that should have been invested for establishing such facilities. Actually, it will be like a 'part-time' govt job for the homeopath, as he is getting money from the government for treating a given number of poor patients free of cost at his clinic.
'NATIONAL HOMEOPATHIC ENTREPRENEUR START-UP PROJECT may be called in short as 'NHESP', and the private clinics enrolled under this project may be called 'NHESP CLINICS'.
Government shall authorize any district level officer from AYUSH or HEALTH departments as the Implementation Officer' of this project, who will be responsible for sanctioning, supervising, monitoring and annual renewal of the NHESP clinics established under this project. He will also be authorized to draw and disburse the allowances due to the doctors under this project.
Any registered homeopath can apply in a prescribed form to this officer for getting sanction for starting a new NHESP clinic, or converting an already existing clinic into a NHESP clinic in any location under the jurisdiction of the implementing officer.
Along with the application, the homeopath should sign an affidavit agreeing that he will abide by the stipulated terms and conditions of the project. It should be strictly stipulated that the doctor working under this scheme should not use or prescribe any medicine that a homeopath is not authorized to practice, such as allopathy. As per terms, external prescriptions to private pharmacies should be prohibited in the case of patients coming for free treatments.
The implementing officer shall immediately accord sanction, once he is satisfied that the applicant is a duly qualified registered homeopath, and that he has signed the affidavit. Sanction will be only for one year, which could be renewed every year consecutively up to five years, if the applicant desires to continue.
NHESP clinic will be purely a private institution conducting private medical practice, where the owner agrees to provide free medical aid (consultations+medicines) to a minimum number of patients duly identified as 'beneficiaries' by the doctor himself, or by officers authorized by the government for this purpose, such as members of local bodies or village level officers of revenue department.
To compensate the expenditure incurred by the NHESP doctor for free treatment, as well as to ensure his minimum subsistence, he will be entitled to get a fixed monthly allowance of Rs 6000. Obligatory free consultations per month shall be 300 or average 20 per day. An additional allowance at the rate of Rs 10 will be granted for every consultations above the obligatory 300. Maximum total payments per month shall be limited to Rs 15000.
If monthly average of free cases attained by the NHESP clinic for first year is below 300, the contract will be considered uneconomical, and the contract will not be renewed for the next year.
If a doctor is entitled to get Rs 15000 a month, that means he would have treated minimum 1200 patients free of cost that month. In other words, govt has to spend only Rs 12.5 to provide free health care to a patient by this project. Govt is not spending any money that is required for establishing a health care facility. This is very much cost-effective when compared to any other health care programs so far being implemented by AYUSH or HEALTH department.
By implementing NATIONAL HOMEOPATHIC ENTREPRENEUR START-UP PROJECT as envisaged above, goverment can extend free health care facilities to the millions of poor people living in rural villages, at a very nominal burden on public exchequer.
Same time, this project will provide new life, hopes and career opportunities to the thousands of young homeopaths getting qualified from 200+ homeopathic colleges in India, who find it very very difficult even to earn daily bread and butter. By NHESP, they are getting a government support to initiate private practice and build up a career. Since beneficiaries are identified and sent to NHESP clinics by public personalities having good contact with public, there will be an unceasing regular flow of patients. Private paid customers also will increase, proportionate to the rush created by free patients.
By doing private practice along with free consultations. he will get a lot of exposure and experience, and opportunity to sharpen his practical skills. He can show the world that homeopathy is an effective therapeutic system, and that he is capable of curing patients by practicing PURE HOMEOPATHY.
For the homeopath, this project will ensure a minimum income during initial stages of his practice, which is the toughest time in his career. Since a minimum number of patients will visit him for free treatment, he will get a good exposure and experience, which is the most wanted factor to get a good beginning. By working hard and producing results in the free cases, he can can show the world that homeopathy is effective. A few successful cases, especially chronic ones, will attract more and more patients to him. He will start earning himself. By five years, he will become a successful practitioner. That is the real goal of this project.
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