Nationalise private medical colleges, suggests BJP think-tank in Kerala

Kochi: The BJP think-tank on the social media ‘Local Circles,’ which recently came out with interesting findings on the status of the healthcare sector in the country, has compiled and published important solutions suggested by its nearly 1.5 lakh members for the ills plaguing the sector.

Mr Rajendra Pratap Gupta, who authored the BJP’s election manifesto and leads the campaign ‘Local Circles’ with the theme ‘Transform India with Narendra Modi’ had asked the members to identify the root causes and offer solutions.

The important solutions suggested include nationalising all private medical colleges and paying professional salaries and campus residence for all professors and teaching staff. They also say that the consultation fee of doctors should be fixed by the government.

The members say that the working of all the pathlabs should fall under a common law. All medical tests should have maximum standard rates for every state which needs to be approved by a standard government body and displayed in every hospital and clinics as a mandatory rule. Increase in prices should be allowed only through some governmental body and its approval.

Some of the members suggested emulating British health care system where every citizen has to contribute a part of the salary as social benefit and money is distributed for state and central healthcare system. A low premium-based health insurance policy covering all citizens of the country should be launched and the drive should be in line with opening of bank accounts in the Jan Dhan scheme.

Another suggestion is to give free tuition to 50 percent students if they agree to work for five years in rural India on a stipend after passing out. Medical representatives visiting doctors should be termed illegal. They should be directed to the administrative staff.

The BJP communication cell which controls the campaign plans a white paper on the issue which will be submitted to the Health Minister and the PMO.