Leader of rural healthcare in US

Starting as the only doctor in a small town 25 yrs ago, Nagala has developed six satellite clinics, writes Lalit K Jha.

This part of the United States - namely the States of North and South Dakota, Minnesota, Montana and Wyoming - is pre-dominantly rural.

Taking advantage of a law that facilitates a relatively hassle-free issue of visas to medical practitioners in rural area, quite a large number of doctors in the country-side and smaller townships here are Indian.

The issue that why doctors who prefer not to go in rural areas in India are doing an omen service in the rural areas of the US could be a topic of discussion some other day, today, however, let it be Dr Rup Nagala, the Indo-American doctor, who is now considered to be a pioneer and leader in "rural-healthcare facilities" in this country.

Meet Dr Rup Nagala, who left India for the US way back in 1978. He developed a new system of rural health care facilities, in this part of the America, at a time when the native doctors were packing their bags - as the case is in India - and migrating to large cities for better earning opportunities.

Starting as the only physician in this small sleepy town over 25 years ago Dr Nagala has developed six satellite clinics, paid to educate and train six of his assistant physician and created a "network" of serving 20,000 people.

In fact, over the years he has developed a regional and rural health care network, which is now being emulated by other rural areas of the United States.

Such has been his contribution to the rural health care and that to this township that the city of Oaks declared one day in his name: an honor which is rarely given to a physician.

His commitment to rural health care has made him finalist of the Country Doctor of Year Award several times. The award honors rural physicians who demonstrate extraordinary dedication to patients, community and profession.

In the year 2002, he was declared the "Country Doctor of the Year": a rare honor for an Indian doctor. The very next year he was bestowed with the 2003 Physician Community and Professional Services Award deeming him a role model professionally and in his community.

Way back in 1993 he was named the outstanding rural health care provider. He has also received recognition from the National American Academy of Family Physicians, North Dakota Chamber of Commerce and American Medical Association.

His list of achievements is long. Dr Nagala treats patients not only at his clinics, but also at two nursing homes and works with four volunteer ambulance services. Indeed, he has developed a complete rural health care network over the years, his large fan club claim.

Originally hailing from a doctor family in coastal Andhra Pradesh, Dr Nagala studied rural medicine at University of North Dakota, where he developed the idea of a satellite medical system, he says.

His wife, Dr Vani Nagala joined him in 1984, which too started serving the community with same passion and dedication. For several years, the couples were the only doctors in the region.

However, with their help the area now boasts of as many as five doctors - all from India - serving the rural population in the United States.

It is only because of Dr Nagala and his team, which he has developed over the years, that Oaks and its neighbourhood are the few fortunate rural areas of the US, where people do not have to travel long distance for medical treatment.