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Ministry mulls rural MBBS course with ‘adequate inbuilt safeguards’
Notwithstanding opposition from various quarters, the Health Ministry has fast-tracked its plans to introduce the rural MBBS course with “adequate inbuilt safeguards” to meet the shortage of medical practitioners in the rural areas.
It has been holding back to back meetings in the recent days with the Medical Council of India (MCI) asking it to chalk out a strategy to pave way for the so called Bachelor of Rural Health Care, which is being vehemently opposed by the Indian Medical Association (IMA)
The Parliamentary Standing Committee led by Rajya Sabha MP Sitaram Yechury has also called for a meeting on Tuesday to discuss the proposal with the stakeholders. Another meeting is scheduled with the MCI at the end of the week in this regard.
The IMA, a body of professional doctors in the country, has been opposing the three-and-a-half-year course saying that it would affect the quality of medical practice as the qualified candidates cannot be called as doctors as they would not be able to conduct surgery. “It would produce half-baked graduates,” the IMA has claimed.
“To resolve such issues, the MCI has been asked to prepare the course in such a manner that it is implementable. Various options are being looked into on the issue of nomenclature, type of students to be selected for the course. Twice the course name has been dropped on the pressure of the MCI.
“One of the options is that only students passed out from 12th class at a district-level will be selected on merit basis instead of examination. They will be asked to serve in their respect districts to cater the health needs of the rural people,” the officer said.
The course aims to generate a cadre of healthcare providers who by the virtue of the way they are chosen, trained, deployed and supported would be motivated to live in and provide comprehensive healthcare in rural areas at sub-centre level.
“For its success and to attract the students, the course need to have MCI stamp, that is why Council is being kept in the loop. Though Assam and Chhattisgarh have introduced the short term rural medical course in the recent past through their State Legislations, the course has not find takers as it does not have MCI approval,” the official noted.
Notwithstanding opposition from various quarters, the Health Ministry has fast-tracked its plans to introduce the rural MBBS course with “adequate inbuilt safeguards” to meet the shortage of medical practitioners in the rural areas.
It has been holding back to back meetings in the recent days with the Medical Council of India (MCI) asking it to chalk out a strategy to pave way for the so called Bachelor of Rural Health Care, which is being vehemently opposed by the Indian Medical Association (IMA)
The Parliamentary Standing Committee led by Rajya Sabha MP Sitaram Yechury has also called for a meeting on Tuesday to discuss the proposal with the stakeholders. Another meeting is scheduled with the MCI at the end of the week in this regard.
The IMA, a body of professional doctors in the country, has been opposing the three-and-a-half-year course saying that it would affect the quality of medical practice as the qualified candidates cannot be called as doctors as they would not be able to conduct surgery. “It would produce half-baked graduates,” the IMA has claimed.
“To resolve such issues, the MCI has been asked to prepare the course in such a manner that it is implementable. Various options are being looked into on the issue of nomenclature, type of students to be selected for the course. Twice the course name has been dropped on the pressure of the MCI.
“One of the options is that only students passed out from 12th class at a district-level will be selected on merit basis instead of examination. They will be asked to serve in their respect districts to cater the health needs of the rural people,” the officer said.
The course aims to generate a cadre of healthcare providers who by the virtue of the way they are chosen, trained, deployed and supported would be motivated to live in and provide comprehensive healthcare in rural areas at sub-centre level.
“For its success and to attract the students, the course need to have MCI stamp, that is why Council is being kept in the loop. Though Assam and Chhattisgarh have introduced the short term rural medical course in the recent past through their State Legislations, the course has not find takers as it does not have MCI approval,” the official noted.
