Mexican doctors serve rural areas.

ABSTRACT

PIP The Mexican Foundation for Family Planning (MEXFAM) worked to solve the unemployment problems of physicians and to increase health services to underserved rural areas. In Mexico, 75% of practicing physicians were located in 16 urban areas. Mexico had a large population of 83 million, of whom many in rural areas have been deprived of family planning and medical services. MEXFAM initiated the Community Doctors Project in 1986. The aim was to help Mexican doctors set up a medical practice in marginal urban towns and small towns with low income residents. Funding to physicians was provided for conducting a market survey of the proposed region and for advertising the new medical services. Loans of furniture and medical supplies were provided, and options were provided for purchase of equipment at a later date. During the promotion, services for maternal and child health care were provided for a small fee, while family planning was provided for free. Doctors usually become self-sufficient after about two years. The MEXFAM project established 170 community doctor's offices in 30 out of 32 states. Services were provided for at least 2500 families per office. In 1990, 13 offices were opened to serve an estimated 182,000 clients. A new effort is being directed to owners of Mexican factories. MEXFAM will set up a medical and family planning clinic very close to factories for a company contribution of only $12,000. The clinic promotion is being marketed through videos. MEXFAM found two companies that agreed to support a clinic.^ieng