PG Times

The Medical Council of India (MCI) should without any further delay just double, if not triple, the postgraduate seats in government medical colleges and hospitals, according to Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain. "There is an organisation in this country, whose name is MCI. Their work is to ruin the medical education system of this country. And they are doing it very carefully and very well. They don't want to increase the number of PG seats," said Jain while speaking at a conference in Delhi on Saturday. He said, "The MCI should without any further delay just double, if not triple, the PG seats in government medical colleges and hospitals. And this should be without asking for anything. Because in our government hospitals, there are already two patients on one bed. But I know there is vested interest involved and they will never do it. They are supporting only private medical colleges which charge Rs 1 crore to Rs 5 crore for one medical PG seat....

A four-member committee headed by NITI Aayog Vice-Chairman Arvind Panagariya set up for recommending an overhaul of the scandals-tainted Medical Council of India (MCI) is likely to suggest that it be replaced by an altogether new regulatory body. It is likely to recommend that no member from the MCI’s staff be appointed to the new medical education commission being proposed “for building a modern education system.” After its final meeting here on Saturday, the high-powered panel is all set to submit its recommendations next week to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Health Secretary B. P. Sharma, Niti Aayog CEO Amitabh Kant and Prime Minister’s Additional Principal Secretary P.K. Mishra are the other members on the committee, which also sought views of a variety of stakeholders before finalising its report. A source at the Aayog told PG Times  that another recommendation is likely to be that the new medical education commission comprise three verticals, each headed by em...

The autopsy of AIIMS junior resident Sarvanan Ganeshan, who died under mysterious circumstances last week, indicates that he did not commit suicide, said a senior doctor who has seen the report. The circumstances in which Ganeshan's body was found also clearly indicated that he did not commit suicide and died an unnatural death, the doctor, who requested not to be named, told PG Times. "The report says there was no external or internal injury. There was no substantial evidence of presence of drugs where his body was found," he said. "Also, the door was not locked, which usually does not happen if some one commits suicide." The doctors will, however, consult the police once again before coming to a definitive conclusion, he said. Also awaited is the toxicology report, which may take a few months before it is submitted to the police. "Such situations are very surprising and take time to yield exact clues. However, the current situation ind...

A significant bill aimed at putting in place a single common examination for medical and dental courses was today passed by the Lok Sabha, with the government saying even private colleges will be under its ambit. The Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Bill, 2016 and the The Dentists (Amendment) Bill, 2016 provides a Constitutional status to the  National  Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) examination" which is intended to be introduced in the academic session next year. The Bill seeks to amend the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956 and the Dentists Act, 1948 and replace the Ordinances that were promulgated by the government to circumvent the Supreme Court order for implementation of NEET   examination this session itself. Moving the Bill for consideration and passing, Health Minister J P Nadda said there were three main objectives behind the move -- end the multiplicity of examinations, have fair and transparent examinations and adopt non-exploita...

A significant bill aimed at putting in place a single common examination for medical and dental courses was on Wednesday passed by the Lok Sabha, with the government saying even private colleges will be under its ambit. The Indian Medical Council (Amendment) Bill, 2016 and the The Dentists (Amendment) Bill, 2016 provides a Constitutional status to the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) examination" which is intended to be introduced in the academic session next year. The Bill seeks to amend the Indian Medical Council Act, 1956 and the Dentists Act, 1948 and replace the Ordinances that were promulgated by the government to circumvent the Supreme Court order for implementation of NEET examination this session itself. Moving the Bill for consideration and passing, Health Minister J P Nadda said there were three main objectives behind the move -- end the multiplicity of examinations, have fair and transparent examinations and adopt non-exploitative process. He s...

The government said it is working on relaxing policy norms for starting medical colleges and increasing post graduate seats in the existing ones to address shortage of doctors.  Union health minister JP Nadda said the number of medical colleges in the government sector was being increased so that the shortfall of medical professionals can be met. "Addressing the issue of shortage of doctors cannot be done overnight, and for this, we will have to go for policy changes... We have reduced space requirement for opening medical colleges," Nadda said, adding that the government was also looking at easing norms so that hospitals in towns can also start colleges. The ministry is also planning to ease the specifications regarding required staff in medical colleges.  The health ministry has already given approval for a major increase in postgraduate seats in key departments at All India Institute for Medical Sciences (AIIMS) to address the severe dearth of spec...

Data from the last few years has revealed that after MBBS, post-graduation students do not opt for forensic science and toxicology to the extent that every year, nearly five out of the total eight seats in forensic science go vacant in medical colleges across Mumbai. This in turn puts added pressure on forensic science department heads while conducting forensic analysis. While Grant Medical College (JJ Hospital), Sion Hospital, LTMG, GS Medical College and TN Medical College all offer post-graduation in forensic science, students prefer taking admission in general streams as against forensic science. Data procured by a former student of JJ Hospital through Right to Information (RTI) shows that of the eight post-graduate seats assigned to this branch, a mere three get filled up. Dr Sagar Mundada, president, Central Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors, said, “Most job opportunities are in the government sector, but even these are not enough and there is struggle for getting...

Lauding India's most recent public health achievements, World Health Organization (WHO) presented certificates declaring elimination of yaws and maternal and neonatal tetanus to Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare J P Nadda. "India's focussed approach on making maternal and newborn care accessible to all and addressing health care equity more generally has made these remarkable successes possible. These victories are not only India's but all of humanity's as the country accounts for approximately one-sixth of the world's population," Poonam Khetrapal Singh, Regional Director, World Health Organization South-East Asia Region, said after presenting the certificates to the minister. In May this year, WHO certified India yaws-free after a team of experts verified interruption of disease transmission in the country. India is the first country under the 2012 WHO neglected tropical diseases (NTD) roadmap to eliminate yaws, a disease known to affe...

The Ganesan family is in a state of shock and disbelief. Their 26-year-old son Dr Saravanan Ganesan, an AIIMS student was found dead, lying on his bed in his South Delhi apartment on July 10. The Delhi police suspect his death to be suicide after they found one cannula inserted in his right hand which had been plastered for support and two syringes. The police suspect that the injection that was administered was possibly potassium chloride.   But his grieving family want answers, refusing to believe that he committed suicide. Saravanan’s brother-in-law Saravana Kumar, who went to Delhi to receive his body, said, “Even the most experienced right-handed doctor cannot inject a cannula (or venflon) in his right arm perfectly. The cap of the syringe was missing. There was no empty vial in the room. While the police claims to have broken into the room, there were no signs of that having done because all the locks were in place when I had come to collect his belongings.”   Ku...

Batchmates of the deceased first year MD (Medicine) student Dr. Sarvanan G., at the prestigious All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and Madurai Medical College (where he did his undergraduate course) have now launched a ‘movement’ across social media with the help of friends and relatives to “ensure that the truth behind their classmates death is revealed and that no culprit goes unpunished.” Dr. Sarvanan had allegedly committed suicide on July 10 and was found dead in his apartment at Gautam Nagar, Delhi. The Delhi Police had informed AIIMS of the death on July 10 and maintained that no suicide note was found. The hospital handed over the body of the deceased to the family which arrived from Tiruppur on July 11. Meanwhile, DMK treasurer M.K. Stalin on Wednesday urged the State government to ensure the safety of Tamil Nadu students studying in other States referring to Saravanan’s death and claimed that this “was shrouded in mystery as the Delhi police had also...

The Supreme Court on Thursday admonished the Centre for bringing an ordinance exempting states from the ambit of NEET, a common entrance test for admission to medical colleges across India, but refused to intervene in the matter, saying it will lead to chaos. The Centre initially accepted the apex court’s order to hold the single-window test for admission to all undergraduate medical and dental courses in government and private medical colleges this year but partially reversed it through the ordinance later. The May 24 ordinance deferred the SC order to conduct the National Eligibility Entrance Test by a year. “What you (Centre) have done is not in good taste. It shouldn’t have been done after the Supreme Court’s verdict. Why did you do this? Prima facie the ordinance was not proper. This is disturbing,” a bench headed by justice AR Dave told attorney general Mukul Rohatgi, who was representing the government. The bench, also comprising justice Shiva Kirti Singh and AK Goel...

The Supreme Court on Thursday expressed doubt over validity of the ordinance providing that states could hold their own entrance examination for admission to undergraduate medical courses for the current academic year bypassing the National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET) but refused to interfere with its operation. Refusing to stay the operation of the ordinance as 50 percent of the states have already conducted their own entrance examination for admission to government medical colleges, a bench of Justice Anil R Dave, Justice Shiva Kirti Singh and Justice Adarsh Kumar Goel, however said: "Prima facie we find that the validity of the ordinance is open to doubt." NGO Sankalp had moved the top court seeking the stay of the ordinance contending that it was it was a patent exercise of judicial power in the garb of ordinance to put the court decision on hold for one year. Apparently unhappy with the government taking the ordinance route giving states the option of op...

The Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) has demanded a 'single session-single paper' examination for post graduate (PG) entrance examination in medicine across the country. In a letter written to union health minister J P Nadda on July 10, central MARD president from Mumbai, Dr Sagar Mundada and secretary Dr Ayudh Magdum, have claimed that as per the Medical Council of India regulation, PG examinations should be a 'level playing field' which means that all students should be subjected to one set of question papers only. But since past three years when National Board of Examination (NBE) has been conducting the PG entrance examination, the exam spans into 10-12 days as student's are divided into different batches and given different question papers. This results in a lot of disparity in the performance by students and it does not judge the students with the same yardstick. "PG entrance has virtually become a gam...

A Supreme Court judge, Justice L Nageshwara Rao, today recused himself from hearing the pleas challenging the NEET ordinance which allowed states to continue with their separate entrance tests for MBBS and BDS courses for academic year 2016-17.  A bunch of pleas listed for hearing before the bench of Justices A R Dave and L Nageshwara Rao was adjourned for July 15, after the latter sought recusal from hearing the matter.  Earlier, a vacation bench of the apex court had refused to accord urgent hearing and directed the matter to be listed before the regular bench which was seized of the matter.  Petitioner Anand Rai, who also claims to be a whistle blower in the Vyapam scam, had contended that the Government was not competent to nullify the judicial order by promulgating the ordinance.  Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi had told the court that the ordinance, which keeps state boards outside the purview of single medical entrance test NEET, is only fo...

The Delhi Police recovered the body of a Junior Resident Doctor form his rented flat in Gautam Nagar area of South Delhi today. Twenty six-year-old Dr. Sarvanan G from Tamil Nadu, who had joined AIIMS as a JR for his MD degree, was found dead under mysterious circumstance. Delhi cops suspect Sarvanan might have died due to overdose of an injection as two syringe needle marks were spotted on his body. He had joined the institute about a week back in the July batch of admissions. NEIGHBOURS FOUND HIM DEAD After he did not report to duty this morning, his colleagues and senior residents of the Department of Medicine started calling him, but not getting any response from his phone they tried calling his neighbours who then found him in his flat No 83 non-responsive. The residents of the area immediately informed the Police and his AIIMS colleagues. Around 3 pm today the body of the deceased was brought by police at AIIMS Emergency Department where the MLC was made and the b...

The health ministry plans to integrate the AIDS control programme with its flagship National Health Assurance Mission with the aim of achieving universal health insurance.The idea is make HIV screening and treatment more accessible by making services available at district health centres and in rural areas. However, the proposal has raised concerns as public health activists are worried that this may gradually lead to abolition of National AIDS Control Programme, which is crucial to sustaining the declining trend in incidence of HIV . From 2000 to 2015, new HIV infections in India dropped from 2.51lakh to 86,000 -compared with a gl-obal fall of just 35%. Deaths due to HIV also declined by a whopping 55% in the last eight years. In 2015, India recorded 67,600 deaths from AIDS. National Health Assurance Mission, which has replaced Rashtriya Swasthya Bima Yojna, is currently working to make free drugs and diagnostics available across the country . “The plan is to include HIV screenin...