Now that Medical Council of India (MCI) has been dissolved, a 7 members board of governors is constituted. NITI Ayog member Dr VK Paul is the chairman.
Members of the BoG include Dr Randeep Guleria, Director, AIIMS; Dr Jagat Ram, Director, PGIMER; DR BN Gangadhar, Director, NIMHANS, Dr Nikhil Tandon, Professor; S Venkatesh, Director-General, Health; Dr Balram Bhargav, Director-General, Indian Council of Medical Research.
The above constitution of members puts to rest all the rumors against the government seeking to replace doctors with bureaucrats.
- 2017: National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill proposed. Draws ire from Gujarat medicos.
- Jan 2018: NMC Bill requires amendments, say doctors.
- Jul 2018: IMA threatens stir if NMC bill is passed in monsoon session of parliament.
- Jul 2018: Second oversight committee resigns, says MCI did not cooperate.
- 26 Sep 2018: Union cabinet clears an Ordinance to supercede Medical Council of India; President gives green signal. A 7 member BOG set up comprising key people of medical sector.
- What next: Parliament to give its agreement on the ordinance.
In the year 2017, a second oversight committee was formed. However all its members unanimously resigned on July 06, 2018, citing “non-cooperation” and “non-compliance” by the MCI. The committee had written to the Ministry alleging that the MCI officials were misinterpreting Supreme Court’s orders.
Following this, the Government was left with no alternative but to dissolve the 100 members council that it is in its present form.
Union Cabinet has cleared an ordinance passed by the President of India to replace MCI (Medical Council of India) with National Medical Commission (NMC).
That PM Narendra Modi would bring up dissolution of MCI at Cabinet Meeting on September 26, 2018, no one was aware of.
Eloquently describing the reasons of why a change was required, the PM made the imperativeness of dissolving MCI clear. Once the Cabinet gave its go ahead, the Ordinance reached the President for promulgation.
The ordinance comes as an answer to action on multiple allegations of “bribe for accreditation”, “non transparency in accreditation and inspection”.
With the President of India passing an authoritative order through the ordinance, all that remains is an approval by the Parliament.
That the recommendations of oversight committee were neglected might have been the final straw. However a long series of events have played minor and major roles.
On one hand there were multiple concerns regarding the inspection of medical colleges, why some were approved or not, and also about accreditation of them. On the other hand there is an imminent requirement of upping the number of medical professionals in the country.
It is envisioned that the country will have 1.5 lakh primary healthcare centres by 2022. This will be a part of the healthcare-for-all scheme. Its primary goal will be to eliminate over-the-roof expenses incurred by the needy, that bring them below the poverty line or close to it. today, 66 lakh people are below poverty line.
By end of this year the government wishes to increase the number of healthcare and wellness centres from 2300 to 15000. To achieve this, capable professionals in healthcare are necessary. To tackle this problem at a root level, more undergraduate and postgraduates are required in medical field.
The government further plans to open 14 new AIIMS (All India Institute of Medical Sciences). Also, a sum of 9000 cr has been kept aside to open super speciality blocks in 54 medical colleges.
It is also planned to open 82 medical colleges in backward areas in India, for which a further amount of 16000 crores has ben earmarked.
Parliament now has to agree to this ordinance for MCI to be replaced by the new body as per National Medical Commission Bill.
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