Medical Research gets government boost in medical colleges in Kerala

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In an effort to boost research activities in the state the government has decided to set up multidisciplinary research units in all medical college hospitals with the help of Centre’s department of health research.

The government seems to be taking a positive stance on recommendations related to State Health Research Fund, the setting aside of 2% of the general health budget for funding research programs and development of research infrastructure.

The government boost comes due to the poor status of research activities in government medical colleges. Though the state boasts of a high in medical research and publication of research work, Kerala is way behind many others in the country, reports Deccan Chronicle.

Some of the major hurdles pointed at by health policy makers include scarcity of funds, inadequacies in maintaining document security, lack of equipment, lack of library facilities and failure to follow up emerging medical issues for detailed research.

There are indications by experts that measures are being taken to promote a culture of investigation and a research aptitude right from the degree level. The multidisciplinary research units have been given the task of finalizing research themes, developing research policies and encourage a research environment in medical colleges besides working out training programs.

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