Homoeopathic Graduates in Public Health Workforce of India

Suitability of Homoeopathic Graduates in Public Health Workforce of India: An Exploratory Study

Dr. Neha Chanana
MPH, Panjab University Chandigarh

SUPERVISOR: Dr.Amarjeet Singh
Professor, Community Medicine,Pgimer, Chandigarh

CO-SUPERVISOR: Dr. Jayanti Dutta
C0-C00rdinator, MPH, Panjab University Chandigarh

Objectives

1. To compare the Public Health related contents of syllabus of BHMS with MPH, MD(SPM), MBBS courses in India.
2. To examine the content of C.C.I.M /Government of India documents/regulation regarding Public Health practices of Homoeopathic Graduates.
3. To evaluate the Public Health related components of the duties /work of Homoeopathic Medical Officer in the efforts of Govt. of India for mainstreaming of AYUSH in Country
4. To evaluate the Public Health Work related performance of Homoeopathic Graduates with MPH in Govt. Jobs.
5. To evaluate the competency of Homoeopathic Graduates regarding Public Health.
6. To explore the opinions of Public Health experts about suitability of Homoeopathic Graduates in Public Health workforce.
7. To explore the career prospects of Homoeopathic Graduates in Public Health system of India.

Methodology
It is a cross sectional study based on

• Interviews
• Questionnaires
• Records
• Internet/Websites
• Others like news, etc.

Data Collection and Data Analysis

Objective 1:

• Data will be collected from various sources like Internet, CCH, educational institutes, etc.
• For this objective, no sample size is required.
• Public Health related contents of BHMS syllabus will be compared with syllabus of:-
• Masters in Public Health (MPH) of various institutes like PGIMER, Chandigarh
• MD (Social and Preventive Medicine) prescribed by the Medical Council of India (MCI)
• MBBS prescribed by the MCI

Objective 2:

1. Data will be collected from various sources like Internet and organizations like CCH, MOHFW, courts and others through letters, direct contacts and interviews of concerned authorities.
2. For this objective no sample size is required.
3. For analysis, instructions or guidelines of CCH, MOHFW and orders by the courts regarding Public Health practices by Homoeopathic Graduates will be taken into consideration. 

Objective 3:

Data will be collected through Questionnaires in which respondents will be the District in charge of NRHM under whom Homoeopathic graduates are appointed and working on Public Health related jobs.

Sample size: Purposive selection of district or as per availability of Civil Surgeon/Deputy CMO/ Director.

As for analysis, Percentages, graphs, pie charts and relevant statistical tools will be used.

Objective 4:
Data will be collected through Questionnaires in which respondents will be the Head of Government Department in which Homoeopathic graduates are appointed on Public Health related jobs.

Sample size: Purposive selection of district or as per availability of Civil Surgeon/Deputy CMO/Director.

As for analysis, Percentages, graphs, pie charts and relevant statistical tools will be used.

Objective 5:
Data will be collected through Questionnaires in which respondents will be Homoeopathic graduates working in the government sector.

Sample Size (n): 50
Relevant statistical tools will be used for analysis.

Objective 6:
Data will be collected through Questionnaires and interviews in which respondents will be Public Health Experts of India (through e-mails as well as face to face).

Sample Size: Questionnaires will be sending to at least 300 such experts.

Relevant statistical tools will be used for analysis.

Objective 7:

Data will be collected through advertisements of admission to courses as well as jobs related to Public Health.

For analysis advertisements on the internet and in Employment News in the past 3 months will be assessed for having BHMS as the eligibility criteria or not.

I, Dr. Neha Chanana, student of Masters in Public Health at Panjab University Chandigarh, is working on the topic “Suitability of Homoeopathy Graduates (BHMS) in Public Health Work Force of India”  under the guidance of Dr.Amarjeet Singh, Prof. School of Public Health, PGIMER, Chandigarh and Dr. Jayanti Dutta Roy, Co-coordinator MPH, Panjab University, Chandigarh.

Public health is the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through the organized efforts and informed choices of society, organizations, public and private, communities and individuals. In the recent past the importance of public health which focuses mainly on the health of the community at large has been realised in our country. This is evident from the government’s idea of achieving Health for All. But the work that needs to be done is much more than the number of Public Health Professionals that are required for achieving this goal.

The involvement of multiple stakeholders provides an understanding of how important community-based health issues are in the future of healthcare operations. The International Conference on Primary health Care, 1978, popularly called as Alma Ata Declaration lays stress on health being a fundamental human right. In this context, it is appropriate to examine the role of homeopathy vis-à-vis community health.

Homeopathy, based on the operational principle ‘let likes be cured by likes’ is traditionally associated with an individualistic approach for therapeutic decision making. But contrary to the traditional mindset Homeopathy is compatible as a mass therapy which is evident in various aphorisms laid down in Organon of Medicine which is a subject for all 4 yrs of the BHMS curriculum and describes the philosophy and art of homoeopathic prescribing also portrays the importance of diet, environmental factors, etc. on the health of the individual.. Moreover, Homeopathy not just takes cognisance of the individual or of the community in isolation, but an individual within the community and a community as a whole. The interrelationship of individual and community, and the outcomes of individual – community interactions have a strong bearing on the health of the individual and health of the community. Thus, the strength of homeopathic principles is the holistic community health, of which an individual is also a part. Another reason to assert that homeopathy and community health are mutually compatible is the approach to disease and illness is the holistic understanding that homeopathy has towards disease generation and health prevention, and the social model of health that is gaining wider acceptance in community health.

In the earlier model of public health practice, the working hypothesis was that diseases are caused as a result of exposure to noxious factors in the external environment. Though this approach produced considerable successes in primary prevention, it does not satisfactorily address to the entire range of public health issues. Therefore, the emerging model of public health based on the social model suggests that in all its manifestations, disease is a reaction of the human organism to, and /or a failure to cope with, one or more unbalancing changes in its internal environment. These are caused by one or more unfavourable exchanges with the external environment and /or failures in the structural and functional design of the organism. This is much in tune with homeopathic approach that includes multilevel of parameters.

Also, Homoeopathic graduates (Bachelors of Homoeopathic Medicine and Surgery) are well versed in the preventive and social aspects of health as is evident from their syllabus prescribed by CCH (Central Council of Homoeopathy).Moreover BHMS syllabus  has been  integrated with aspects of modern medicine like Anatomy, Physiology, Pathology, Medicine, Surgery, ENT, Gynaecology & Obstetrics, Paediatrics, Geriatric Care, Psychiatry etc.. Preventive and social medicine (Community Health)is a full fledge subject  in the 4th professional of BHMS curriculum, which includes training on all aspects of Public Health like Personal Hygiene, Nutrition,  School Health Services, Biostatistics, National Health Programmes, MCH care, Adolescent health, Occupational health etc.

National Rural Health Mission (NRHM) has recognized Homoeopathy in the form of AYUSH by taking steps for mainstreaming homoeopathy at all levels.

But unfortunately Homoeopathic graduates are not considered eligible for admission to MPH course in many institutes like PGI, NICD, JNU(Jawaharlal Nehru University) in spite of they having knowledge about community health at par with M.B.B.S graduates as is evident from the BHMS syllabus as prescribed by Central Council of Homoeopathy. At institutes like PGI, Chandigarh MSc Botany, B.E., BSc.Vetenary sciences, M.A are considered eligible but not Homoeopathic graduates who have a better understanding about individual and community health at large.

Also, in job interviews related to public health like health consultants Homoeopathic graduates with an added degree of Masters in Public Health are either not considered eligible or at times are given lower preference as compared to even plain M.B.B.S graduates.

Thus, looking at this dismal situation of Homoeopathic graduates and Homoeopathy as well I intend to more elaborately study the strengths and weakness of Homoeopathy in relation to Public Health and without your kind help this will not be possible. So,as a step in this direction I have prepared a questionnaire to assess the views of Public Health Experts/Concerned Authorities about the Suitability of Homoeopathic  Graduates (BHMS) in Public Health work force of India, which I am here by attaching with the mail. This is a web-based questionnaire, so it will take maximum 8 -10 minutes to completely fill it. Kindly take out some of your valuable time for filling this questionnaire, which would be a great help for my research. I will be really thankful if you can do so.