58 new GMCs soon

Centre has recently announced that 58 new GMCs will be added across India in the next two years. UP, MP, Rajasthan, Odisha and Bihar, are some of the selected locations where the new medical colleges are likely to be established. Government has cited large population vs. less number of medical seats as a prime reason for expanding the existing infrastructure of GMCs in the country. Also, there is a noted disproportionate distribution of GMCs across states, with respect to the population of each state.

A high-density region like UP currently has thirty-six GMCs. Even Rajasthan, MP and Chhattisgarh have 12, 14 and 6 GMCs respectively. On the other hand, Punjab and Telangana, comparatively smaller have more GMCs. Punjab has 10 and Telangana has 20 such colleges.

Similarly, a comparison drawn between north and south states reveal that southern region has more number of GMCs. Karnataka has 50, Kerala-30, Tamil nadu-45, and Andhra Pradesh-28. Maharashtra has 48 medical colleges.

It is further reported that government is looking at adding 82 medical colleges through the PPP mode. Besides, AIIMS-like institutions announced earlier in the budget are likely to be set up at a high pace now. The Centre is also considering granting greater recognition to the diploma in national board (DNB). Though it is recognised as an equivalent of an MD or MS degree, it not yet recognised by MCI. Also a proposal is under consideration by the government for giving permission to medical students of private colleges to practice in government district hospitals in their neighborhood.

Medical Dialogues team reported earlier that in an effort to resolve the problem of the growing need for doctors and hence medical seats, the Union Ministry of Health has decided to adopt the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) mode for medical colleges, across all districts in the country. In a letter to the MCI, the Union Ministry has asked it to make criterion amendments for establishment of medical colleges by allowing private partnerships, through memorandum of agreements (MOU), with the Government of India.

According to highly-placed sources, accessed by the Asianage newspaper, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) has directed the Niti Aayog and the Union health ministry to work out the modalities of ensuring greater availability of doctors in densely populated states which have lesser doctor-to-patient ratio.

Sources privy to the development told this newspaper that the PMO has also asked Niti Aayog and health ministry to look at the possibilities of amending the Indian Medical Council Act of 1956, for giving recognition to DNB. Also, it will widen the ambit of those pursuing post-graduate studies in medical science as not all medical colleges offer post-graduate courses.