The Doctors Post

Author: teamdoctorspost

  • Appropriate time to eliminate quack menace

    Medical Associations are the key

    Quacks posing as doctors has been a serious threat to the society and this threat becomes more serious in urban slums and rural parts of the country. An estimated ten lakh quacks practice allopathic medicine according to the Indian Medical Association (IMA).  Quacks are not only the competitors of the doctors but also bring disrepute to the medical profession as a whole. Taking cognizance of the quacks in the medical profession in the country, National Medical Council (NMC) has taken the first giant step to eradicate the quack menace. NMC has asked all State Medical Council to appoint an officer who can file complaints before a court or any other authority concern to take action against the quacks. The circular of NMC alone would not yield any result until a coordinated effort is made by the NMC, State Medical Council and the Medical Associations. The Medical Associations should prepare a format approved by the National Medical Council for lodging a complaint against the quacks. The state chapters of these medical associations should circulate the complaint lodging format to all its members doctors and ask them to report any quacks in their vicinity to them. The member doctors of all the associations should actively participate in this drive by furnishing details in the prescribed format of the quacks in their vicinity. The medical association should file complaints with the officer of the state medical council mandated by the NMC for this purpose. The medical association should continuously follow-up with the officer of state medical council till necessary action as per the law is taking against the quacks. The medical farternity should not look this drive against quacks as means to increase their professional income but should consider the fact that complete eradication of the quacks menace is their contribution to the country in this platinum year of independence.

    Dr. Bhushan Kedari

    Editor

  • NMC – Pradhan Mantri National Dialysis Portal (PMNDP) to be implemented in all medical colleges

    New Delhi : The National Medical Council (NMC) through a recent notice has informed the medical colleges, both government and private to implement the Pradhan Mantri National Dialysis Portal (PMNDP). The notice issued by Dr. Sandhya Bhullar, Secretary, NMC said “ This is to bring to your kind attention that all medical colleges, both government and private which are providing dialysis services are directed to use Pradhan Mantri National Dialysis Portal (PMNDP) portal to provide smooth delivery of necessary dialysis service to every patient having unique ABHA JD (UHID) and to improve visibility and have a uniform IT platform for capturing details of all beneficiaries.”

  • NMC : Conversion therapy performed by doctors declared professional misconduct

    Chennai :- Attempt to change the gender identity of LGBTQ+ people by conversion therapy will be construed as “professional misconduct” of the doctor and the doctor will be prosecuted accordingly, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has told the Madras High Court.  During the course of hearing a plea by a lesbian couple in Chennai seeking protection from police harassment, the Madras High Court had sought the view and recommendation of an expert committee on the issue of conversion therapy. 

    “In the recommendation, the committee had made it very clear that any attempt/intervention to change the sexual orientation and/or gender identity of a person, which is commonly known as conversion therapy, should be construed as professional misconduct on the part of the medical professionals under the Indian Medical Council, Professional conduct, etiquette and ethics regulation, 2002.” Said Justice N Anand Venkatesh.  

    Subsequently C L Guleria, Deputy Secretary (Ethics), Ethics and Medical Registration Board has stated in the order to all State Medical Councils that the NMC “has decided that conversion therapy will constitute a professional misconduct under the Indian Medical Council (Professional Misconduct, Etiquette and Ethics) Regulations, 2002”.

  • Mohfw issues draft guidelines for nurses for comments

    New Delhi : The Union health ministry has released a draft guidelines for improving working conditions of the nurses for comments from the public and the stakeholders within 30 days from the date of issuance. The document stated that the WHO Global Strategy on “Human Resources for Health: Workforce 2030” calls for upholding “the personal, employment and professional rights of the health workforce, including safe and decent working environments and freedom from all kinds of discrimination, coercion and violence”.

    The draft guidelines has proposed annual health check-ups, a creche facility and work hours not exceeding 40 in a week, among other measures, to improve the working conditions of nurses in all healthcare institutions. It has also recommended that all healthcare establishments may, as far as possible, provide accommodation to their nursing staff within or near their premises.

    According to the draft guidelines, all healthcare establishments have to ensure adequate infrastructure and well-equipped work stations in all units or wards to enable efficient functioning of the nursing staff.

    It also mandates that all healthcare establishments will have separate washrooms and changing rooms (including providing drinking water, pantry facilities, lockers, clean uniforms etc.) for the nursing staff and should identify designated resting rooms for nurses working for a prolonged duration.

    The healthcare establishments will have to establish internal complaint committees in accordance with the provisions of the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act, 2013 and should also take necessary measures to ensure the security of nurses during night shifts. Appropriate measures may be taken to ensure proper lighting in and around the work settings to promote the safety of nurses.

    According to the guidelines, the healthcare establishments should provide induction training to the newly-recruited nurses to familiarise them with various hospital departments, facilities, guidelines and standard operating procedures, and implement fair remuneration on the basis of qualification and experience.

  • Health Ministry plans to double PG seats in next 5 years

    New Delhi : To address the acute shortage of specialist doctors in the country, especially in small towns and rural the Union health ministry is working on an ambitious plan to double the number of post-graduation (PG) seats in medicine over the next five years. Under the plan, the government is looking to raise the number of Diplomate of National Board (DNB) seats, which are considered equivalent to post-graduate degrees in medicine (MS and MD), identify facilities where new seats can be created and relax norms for MS/MD seats.

    For the 2022-23 academic session 91,927 MBBS seats were on offer in India’s medical colleges but the MS/MD (Master of Surgery/ Doctor of Medicine) seats were 46,118, which is approximately half that number of MBBS seats. Taking into account the 12,246 DNB seats offered by tertiary care hospitals the total number of PG or equivalent seats rises to 58,364.

    The rural health statistics are dismal as there were just 4,405 specialists at rural community health centres, a whopping 80 per cent less than the requirement of 21,924. The situation in the private sector remains the same. Health experts feel that reduce this disparity the health ministry intiative will be crucial and can become a game changer in healthcare sector.

  • DCGI – Notifies classification of 60 medical devices

    New Delhi – The Drug Controller General of India (DCGI) has issued a notification classifying 60 medical devices pertaining to rehabilitation under the provisions of Medical Devices Rules, 2017. The DGCI classifies the device as A,B,C & D depending on the risk associated with the device. The risk associated with the Class A is perceived to be low, while B has low to moderate risk, C has moderate to high risk and D has the high risk, according to the widely accepted classification criteria.

    The decision of DGCI, the drug regulator of the country is classifying the medical devices sold in the country based on the perceived risk of the product type and its use in patients. The measure is to help the authority to bring in all the medical devices under the regulatory control. In July, the drug regulator classified a group of 70 medical devices pertaining to rehabilitation. Some of the same devices are mentioned in the new notice issued on August 4, also. None among the 60 devices were classified as Class D of the regulation.

  • 37 MBBS students to be expelled –Unable to clear MBBS for 20 years

    Lucknow – The prestigious King George Medical University (KGMU) has decided to give last chance to 37 MBBS students who have been unable to clear MBBS after being admitted to the course more than two decades ago. Dr. Vipin Puri said that these 37 MBBS students have been given several opportunities and concessions so that they could clear the exams but they have failed. The university on the request of these students had constituted a committee to running special classes for them but they still could not clear the exams. The university has offered them counselling also. Dr Puri cited the rules framed by the National Medical Commission (NCM) in 2019 which provided that the students failing to pass the MBBS exams in nine years or in four attempts should be expelled from the course. ”We will give them one last chance to clear the exams. Those who fail will be shown the door” he added.


  • NCDRC – “ Negligence Complaint aimed to turn the wheel of fortune”

    New Delhi : The National Commission for Disputes Redressal (NCDRC) recently exonerated a Neurosurgeon and hospital from charges of medical negligence while conducting transpedicular screw fixation between vertebrae on a patient suffering from Osteoporosis. The complainant is an anesthetist and professional colleague of the neurosurgeon. The top consumer court added “In our view, the complaint was filed, simply to blame for untoward incident to get compensation. The complainant aims to turn the wheels of fortunes in his favor by demanding such immense damages.”

    Referring to  the MCI order which has also exonerated the neurosurgeon, NCDRC said “ The Neurosurgeon (OP-1) adopted the standard reasonable practice and also followed ethical principal to his colleague the anesthetist whose mother was operated by OP-1. We haven’t expected and are surprised that the patient’s son being an anesthetist, has raised frivolous allegation that pre anesthetic check-up was not done. We find the doctor treated the patient reasonably and there was no deficiency or negligence during the treatment.”

  • Telangana government pitches for 1,200 additional MBBS seats

    Hyderabad : Telangana has taken a giant leap in medical education by offering an additional 1,200 additional MBBS seats in government teaching hospitals in the State. The State government has ensured that eight new medical colleges are started from this academic year. Of the eight new medical colleges, the NMC has already given permission to start four new medical colleges in Jagtial, Nagarkurnool, Sangareddy and Wanaparthy districts from this academic year while permissions for the remaining four in Mahabubabad, Mancherial, Kothagudem and Ramagundam are expected in the next few weeks, said senior health officials of Telangana.

  • Restrictions on sale of Codeine based Cough Syrup in UP

    Lucknow:  The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) department of Uttar Pradesh has issued order to the retailers to sell only one unit of Codeine based Cough Syrup to one person. The Drug Controller of Uttar Pradesh, A.K. Jain said: “Though it has mild pain-relieving properties, it is a powerful drug and one can get addicted to it.” Citing provisions under rules 51 and 52 of the Uttar Pradesh Drug Rules, Jain has fixed the number of units a company depot and clearing and forwarding agents (C&F), a whole-seller and a retailer can store and sell to ensure that it is not misused. C&F agents can store any packing of codeine-based cough syrup, but sell only 500 units of the same; Wholesaler’s, on the other hand, can store 1,000 units of the syrup, but sell not more 100 units of the formulation; Retailers will be able to store not more than 100 units of the same and sell only one to a single customer.