The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Medical diploma course to be introduced

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Wednesday, Aug 20, 2008
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Karnataka - Bangalore

Medical diploma course to be introduced

Special Correspondent

Bangalore: The proposal to introduce a three-year medical diploma course after Class 10, on the lines of the old Licensed Medical Practitioner (LMP) course, will be put before the Cabinet soon to meet the primary medical needs of the rural population, said Medical Education Minister Ramachandra Gowda.

Speaking at the inauguration of “Suvarna Argoya Chaitanya Programme- 2008”, for the healthcare of schoolchildren from Class 1 to 10 here on Monday, Mr. Gowda said that there is a strong pro-urban bias in access to medical care.

He said that 76 per cent of medical professionals serve 20 per cent of the population concentrated in urban areas, while the remaining 24 per cent take care of 80 per cent of the population. Of the 45,000 medical practitioners in Karnataka, only 7,000 are government doctors, he added.

One crore covered

Primary and Secondary Education Minister Vishweshwara Hegde Kageri said that the programme, in the third year of its implementation, is being conducted by the Department of Public Instruction and the Department of Health. This year, one crore students in government, aided and unaided schools will be covered under the programme. Mr. Kageri urged parents and School Development Monitoring Committee (SDMC) members to ensure that all students benefit from the programme.

The programme will be on till the end of September this year.

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