Former president APJ Abdul Kalam on Friday recommended the Philippines model of nursing for the Indian medical scenario.
Speaking at an interactive programme with students of Mahatma Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute (MGMCRI), he said this would pave the way for nurses in India to practise medicine in rural primary healthcare centres.
In the Phillipines, which has about 7,000 islands, health centres are served by qualified nurses.
The nursing college of the University of Philippines had a unique and intensive PhD programme with syllabus designed in such a way that nurses are professionally qualified to take up the post of medical officers in primary health centres.
“I am promoting such an idea for rural health care centres,” said Kalam, in response to a question on rural health service for doctors.
He further stressed the importance of medical and engineering teams working in tandem to develop medical systems, devices and equipment at an affordable cost.
Meanwhile on Friday the former president also inaugurated the golden jubilee celebrations of Volontariat. Addressing the gathering, Kalam spoke about the social work undertaken in various fields by Madeleine de Blic, founder of Volontariat, who arrived in Puducherry in 1962.