Hyderabad: Supersession of the Medical Council of India committee is only a smokescreen to prepare the ground for the National Medical Council (NMC) and introduce “crosspathy”, according to the Indian Medical Association.
The MCI India committee has been dissolved to implement bridge courses, introduce “crosspathy” and registration of non-medical persons who practice in rural areas, experts said. These could harm the medical sector in the long run.
Telangana IMA president Dr T. Narsinga Reddy explained, “The dissolution of the committee comes at a time when new members were to be appointed. The government intends to introduce the NMC Bill and pass it in Parliament. On three occasions earlier, the MCI was removed and they have seen the results.” He said 184 medical colleges were awaiting recognition due to the strict process of the MCI. Of these 168 are new colleges for which permission needed to be given.
Senior IMA members stated that the government was using indirect means to dictate terms. The MCI Board of Governors comprises heads of institutes including the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS, Delhi), National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences (Nimhans, Bengaluru) and Institute of Medical Education and Research but they are not full-time members working for the MCI.
A senior member explained, “The Board has highly placed officials and doctors who are so busy that they meet only to say yes to the proposal of the government. There are day-to-day activities of the MCI like inspections and clearance for medical colleges which will be stalled. The aim of the government is to make the MCI non-functional and work out a strategy to clear the NMC Bill.”
The IMA in a resolution has stated that it will resist the NMC Bill and any intention to implement it through the appointed Board of Governors will be fought with determination. The IMA members also demanded that the election process in progress in the MCI should be allowed to continue.
