Medical education today needs to be more research and publication-centric, said former vice-chancellor of Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences (RGUHS) Dr Chandrasekhar Shetty.

He was speaking at a programme for officers of the National Service Scheme on tackling the burden of non-communicable diseases through the ‘Common Risk Factor Approach’.

Dr Shetty said there isn’t enough thrust on research in medical education. “Agricultural universities are involved in a lot of research and field practice and the same should be made part of the learning resources of medicine,” he said.

Quoting statistics from the World Health Organisation, he said low and middle income countries will have 32 per cent of its disease prevalence from communicable, maternal and nutritional conditions whereas high income countries will have brought it down to three per cent.

“By 2030, 89 per cent of disease prevalence among high income countries will be from non-communicable diseases and 54 per cent in low and middle income countries,” Dr Shetty said.

He pointed out that availability of potable water supply, hygiene, sanitation and nutrition supply will bring down the burden of communicable diseases. The programme was organised by DAPMRV Dental College.

Date: April 11th, 2014

Source: The New Indian Express