
New Delhi: The Indian Chest Society (ICS) has strongly criticized the National Medical Commission (NMC) for its decision to remove Respiratory Medicine Departments from MBBS medical colleges across the country, calling attention to the detrimental impact of this move amidst India’s worsening air pollution crisis.
At a press conference on November 21, ICS highlighted the escalating Air Quality Index (AQI) levels and the NMC’s controversial decision, warning that it undermines the nation’s capacity to address respiratory health challenges effectively.
The ICS emphasized that the Delhi Government has directed hospitals to form specialist teams to manage the rising cases of respiratory illnesses due to severe pollution. Hospitals have been instructed to monitor and report daily outpatient (OPD) and inpatient (IPD) cases of respiratory ailments and promptly flag any significant increases.
Previously, ICS, alongside the Indian Association of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) challenging the NMC’s decision in the Bombay High Court.
Last year, the NMC’s Undergraduate Medical Education Board (UGMEB) removed Respiratory Medicine, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PMR), and Emergency Medicine from the list of mandatory departments for MBBS medical colleges. Instead, these subjects were integrated into General Medicine under the Competency-Based Medical Education 2024 guidelines, a move justified by the NMC as reducing the burden on medical students.
However, ICS members refuted this reasoning, citing the alarming AQI levels and the health system’s increased strain. Vadodara-based pulmonologist Dr. Neel Thakkar, an ICS member, stated, “With Delhi recently recording its highest-ever AQI of 1,081 and cities like Ahmedabad and Vadodara reporting ‘Poor’ air quality, respiratory ailments such as COPD, interstitial lung disease, and lung cancer are on the rise. Excluding respiratory medicine from the MBBS curriculum and medical colleges only exacerbates the morbidity and mortality associated with these conditions.”
ICS convened the press conference to discuss the public health implications of air pollution and the removal of Respiratory Medicine Departments. Keynote speakers included prominent pulmonologists like Dr. Rakesh Chawla (ICS Vice-President), Dr. G.C. Khilani (ICS North Zone Chairman), Dr. Manoj Goel (Fortis Medical Research Institute), and Dr. Arun Madan (Hindu Rao Medical College).
The speakers emphasized the following points:
- Rising Health Risks: Extreme air pollution has caused a surge in respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses, disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations like children and the elderly.
- Loss of Critical Care Infrastructure: Removing Respiratory Medicine Departments disrupts advanced care and training, creating significant gaps in public health infrastructure.
- Impact on TB Elimination Goals: With India accounting for 26% of global TB cases and deaths, the absence of Respiratory Medicine undermines initiatives like the Pradhan Mantri TB Mukt Bharat Abhiyan and the National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme (NTEP).
- Urgent Need for Action: Solutions include reinstating respiratory medicine, implementing air pollution mitigation strategies, and aligning health policies with public health objectives.
According to Dr. Manoj Goel, effective policies are crucial to reduce pollution-related health impacts. Measures like adopting clean technologies, expanding renewable energy, improving urban planning, and implementing advanced waste management can mitigate pollution and its health consequences.
The ICS appealed to the Union Government to reinstate respiratory medicine in the MBBS curriculum and ensure its inclusion in medical colleges nationwide to combat the ongoing public health crisis effectively.