Bhopal: In a bid to maintain an updated medical registry, the Madhya Pradesh Medical Council (MPMC) plans to introduce a mandatory system for renewing doctors’ registrations every five years.
Currently, the MPMC has 63,423 doctors registered, but outdated records and a lack of regular verification have left gaps in critical information. Neither the State Government nor the Medical Council has accurate data on how many registered doctors are actively practicing, have relocated, retired, or passed away.
A verification drive conducted two years ago revealed that only 24,000 of the 63,000 registered doctors responded. To address this, the Council is drafting a proposal to mandate periodic renewal of licenses, which will soon be submitted for cabinet approval.
For years, the MPMC has lacked strict guidelines for periodic renewals, resulting in outdated records and unverified addresses for nearly 70% of registered doctors. Emphasizing the need for change, Dr. Rakesh Malviya, Chief Convener of the Government Autonomous Doctors Federation, stated, “Periodic renewal is essential to maintain an updated database of doctors. It will help track how many are still practicing in the state, how many have moved abroad, and how many have passed away.”
The Federation recently submitted a proposal to the State Government advocating for the five-year renewal rule, which Dr. Malviya believes will improve governance and enhance accountability among medical practitioners.
Additionally, after nearly a decade, the Medical Council has initiated the process of electing new members. As part of the preparations, the Council began verifying doctors’ addresses on December 5. So far, 945 doctors have updated their details.
In the last election, only 15,000 doctors participated, highlighting low engagement among registered practitioners. The current verification process will continue until January 6, 2025, with the aim of ensuring greater participation and accuracy in records.
This reform is expected to improve the transparency and governance of medical practice in Madhya Pradesh.
