Kerala: Special units, fund to boost research in medical colleges

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With the government planning to set up multidisciplinary research units in all medical college hospitals with the help of Centre’s department of health research, medical research activities in the state are likely to get the required boost. The government is sounding positive on health policy recommendation on constituting State Health Research Fund and setting aside two percent of the general health budget for funding research programmes and developing research infrastructure.

The government initiative comes in the wake of poor research activities in government medical colleges. While the state boasts of high health indicators, when it comes to medical research and publication of research work, Kerala is still lagging behind many others. The scarcity of funds, lack of equipment, inadequacies in keeping documents secure, failure to follow up emerging medical issues for detailed research and lack of library facilities have been identified as major obstacles by health policymakers.

Experts say steps are now being taken to inculcate a culture of investigations and research right from degree level. The multidisciplinary research units will finalise the themes for research, develop research policies and encourage the creation of research atmosphere in medical colleges besides formulating training programmes.

Doctors have welcomed the proposal to constitute special fund and set aside two percent of the health budget. “I spent around Rs 10 lakh from my pocket to complete my research activities and obtain a PhD,” said Dr R. Jayaprakash, additional professor of paediatrics, SAT Hospital, who did his doctorate in “course and outcome determinants of conduct disorders among children.”