National Institute of Open Schooling will start training programme for rural medical practitioners or quacks from July 15

Patna: The National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) will start a training programme for rural medical practitioners or quacks on July 15 in a joint initiative with the state government.

The State Health Society Bihar, a wing of the health department, has signed a memorandum of understanding with NIOS for the programme.

According to health department records, there are 4 lakh quacks in Bihar and training them to administer patients basic aid is one of chief minister Nitish Kumar’s ambitious schemes. He had announced it four years ago during a programme of the JDU medical cell.

Chairman of the advisory committee for the community health training programme Dr L.B. Singh, said NIOS was busy finalising the accreditation process of the training centres. “Around 25,000 rural medical practitioners applied for the course and 22,500 of them were selected. The fixed study hours for the course is 200 hours. It includes both practical and theory and will be conducted at primary health centres and first referral units,” Singh said. “Training will initially start at 218 centres but the ultimate plan is to train such practitioners at the 682 accredited health facilities.”

The training programme will be conducted on Saturday afternoons and Sunday mornings so that hospital functioning is not disturbed, added Singh. The quacks would be provided with certificates on the basis of their results, he said.

Courtesy: The Telegraph