India’s ace hospital AIIMS as cash cow? Where’ll the poor go?
Ramadoss’ prescription for AIIMS was reverted after MPs’ furore
Estimates by AIIMS in 2006
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Not surprisingly, the 17-member AIIMS governing body has not met even once in the last one year to spell out its verdict. As per rules, the body is required to meet at least more than once a year to take stock of recommendations and their implications to improve the functioning of the institute. The governing body members Outlook spoke to felt that nearly 30 per cent of the recommendations are aimed at changing the essential nature of the institute, necessitating Parliament’s approval for it.
Clearly, some of the recommendations suggested by Dr Valiathan did not meet with the governing body’s approval. Why then is the government, particularly the prime minister’s office, so keen on seeing the proposals implemented? In fact, sources tell Outlook the message has been conveyed to Union health minister Ghulam Nabi Azad that the changes must be brought about.
Some of the recommendations and the reservations about them voiced by AIIMS doctors are:
Doctors opposed to this say what is required is structured and prudent spending, not a reduction in the budgetary support. “Self-financing would mean leaving the institute to work out its own user charges with the poor virtually being denied healthcare,” says the Progressive Medicos and Scientific Forum, an association of senior AIIMS doctors.
The man who triggered off the whole debate, Dr Valiathan, has this to say. “We have to take a long-term view on how healthcare needs to be implemented in the country. When you look at AIIMS, you find there is no scope for peer review. No way to analyse how good the research is. And this is at the heart of scientific research. A lot of it has to do with drugs and therapies. We have some of the finest names in the pharma industry who do accredited research and their critical inputs are required.” Valiathan stresses the need for the institute to create its own resources. “The government can think of an insurance scheme for the poor. We have to be realistic and can’t raise false hopes. For example, we do not have the resources to carry out all kidney transplants.”
It may be recalled that three years ago AIIMS decided to introduce user charges. Then health minister, Anbumani Ramadoss, had defended the decision by stating this was necessary to maintain quality of services. However, he rolled it back after MPs raised a furore in Parliament.
Doctors opposed to Valiathan’s recommendations argue that even in countries like France, Germany and Britain, autonomy of institutes is fiercely protected while they continue to be financed by the state. Says Dr R. Surendran, governing body member: “There are some problem areas...naturally we have concerns about the presence of persons with vested interests in a public body. We outright rejected the view that the purpose of the institute is to make money. In public sector hospitals, there has to be a commitment from the state to offer the best healthcare to the poorest of the poor.” Another member, Dr Shyama Prasad, said the recommendations cannot be accepted in toto. “We would like the institute to direct the pharma industry to evolve the best practices required in healthcare, not have the pharma industry dictate terms to the institute,” he says.
As a way out, members of the governing body suggest a differential fee structure—bill the rich so that the treatment of the poor can be subsidised. But will the government listen to what seems like fairly sensible and practical advice?