**5. Partnering with public health system and community**

In order to discharge the social responsibility of an academic institution, we have developed an interface between the Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Medical Sciences, Sewagram, and the district health system and community. This interface is being utilized to have an integrated approach in the health care and research program in the field. Over the years, we have taken confidence-building measures with the health system and have developed mutually beneficial partnership and, in the process, we are working very closely with primary health centers, sub-centers, and community health centers in the field. The MGIMS plays an important role in the capacity building of health-care providers on various health and health-related issues, and the district health system in return has contributed significantly by supporting the community-based health-care delivery and research as well as in teaching and training during the social service camp and ROME camp. In the process, the institute has developed two rural health and training centers at Anji and Bhidi and an urban health training center at the Gandhi Memorial Leprosy Foundation, Wardha. These centers act as a bridge between the MGIMS and district health system in discharging social responsibilities of the MGIMS in providing health care to the marginalized rural population and promoting community-based research by the faculty members of the MGIMS, Sewagram. All clinical faculties of the MGIMS, Sewagram, are regularly visiting these centers on a periodic basis to extend specialist health care at the primary health centers. Consequently, the MGIMS has signed a memorandum of understanding with the district health system to manage two primary health centers at Anji and Talegaon in the rural area and two primary health centers in the city of Wardha in the urban area 2 years back, which has further strengthened the partnership.
