Association of Healthcare Providers (India)
Posted on: 26/Jan/2018 4:24:12 PM
The Honorable Parliamentary Standing Committee in its report submitted to the parliament on March 8 2016, highlighted the challenges being faced by the health sector in India. There are huge gaps in availability of qualified doctors, specialist, and super specialist. There is huge geographical mal-distribution of medical colleges under which 2/3 medical colleges are located in the regions representing 1/3 population. The medical education regulatory framework is grossly in-adequate and in-effective on ground. There is total disconnect between medical education system and needs of healthcare delivery system in the country.
Keeping above in view there has been long pressing need to reform medical education. Accordingly Government of India came up with the draft National Medical Commission bill 2017, aimed at creating of robust medical education regulatory system. Considering that reforms in health systems of nation are closely linked with nation’s medical education system, it is important that new system by way of NMC should be able to meet the challenges as mentioned above and take our health system to next level and make universal health coverage (UHC) a reality in near future.
However there are areas of concern in the draft bill that need to be addressed if the objectives of having world class regulatory framework are to be fulfilled. These are as follows;
The proportion of elected representatives from medical fraternity in the proposed NMC 2017 is to the extent of 20% which is grossly inadequate and undermines the principles of democracy. This needs to be enhanced appropriately.
The founding principles of modern medicine are evidence-based and are rooted in standard treatment protocols, which have nothing in common with the traditional systems of medicine (AYUSH). Therefore, mixing up of these systems of medicine through bridge courses will in no way be appropriate. On the contrary it will undermine the patient safety and pave the way for promoting quackery.
Following successful completion of the MBBS examination enforcing another National Licentiate Examination is superfluous. However, those aspiring to do post-graduate courses can be made to appear for common PG-entrance examination.
The NMC Bill will once and for all resolve the issue of equivalence between MD/MS & NBE degrees and there will be no disparity. The new bill gives great importance to monitoring quality of Institutions which will in turn produce quality medical professionals.
