Karnataka to offer DNB courses in 10 more govt hospitals in 22 specialities

Karnataka: In a move to address and cope up with the recurrent dearth of medical practitioners in Government Hospitals, the state has recently decided to introduce Diplomate of National Board (DNB) courses in 10 more hospitals in 22 specialities. Out of these 10 hospitals, five of them will be district and taluk hospitals each.

For the same, the district hospitals of Bagalkot, Kolar, Dharwad, Ballari, Chitradurga, and Jayanagar General Hospitals have submitted applications to the National Board of Education (NBE) for evaluation and approval of DNB courses in 18 more specialities.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that with the limited number of PG seats at various medical colleges in the country, the shortage had become even more blatant when it comes to present specialist doctors in corners of the country. Like other states, the Government of Karnataka had also endeavoured towards addressing the issue of shortage of specialists.

Also Read: Addressing specialists shortage- How DNB courses are helping Karnataka District Hospitals

The Government had been running the DNB courses, equivalent to Doctor of Medicine (MD) and Master of Surgery (MS) courses in half a dozen district hospitals since 2018 including 2 general hospitals.

These hospitals include K.C. General, Jayanagar General, and district hospitals of Tumakuru, Ballari, Chitradurga, and Dharwad in 22 specialities, with assistance from the National Health Mission (NHM) and the National Board of Education (NBE).

Besides government parties, ANBAI (Association of National Board Accredited Institutions ) has played a special role in being able to effectively liaison between the Government of Karnataka and the National Board of Examinations in arriving at a tangible solution by way of starting DNB course in district hospitals, whereby specialist's services would be made available on a continuous basis

Now to further deal with the shortage of specialist doctors and empower district hospitals to offer quality patient care, the Government has now recognized district hospitals in Dakshina Kannada, Haveri, Chikkamagaluru, Yadgir, and Chickballapur, and taluk hospitals in Holenarasipur, Doddaballapur, Gangavathi, Sira, and Basavakalyana for becoming the DNB centres.

Parimala Maroor, Deputy Director, State Institute of Health and Family Welfare stated that apart from this, the district hospitals of Bagalkot, Kolar, Dharwad, Ballari, Chitradurga, and Jayanagar General Hospitals have submitted applications to the NBE for evaluation and approval of 18 more specialities.

She was of the opinion that the initiation of DNB courses in district hospitals was an important endeavour to concentrate on the key concerns of the shortage of specialists and providing quality care.

60 DNB seats were approved for 2018 session while 80 for 2019 session. Of this, 50 DNB students were admitted for 2018 session and 33 students have been admitted for 2019 session till date, she added. The candidates for the said course were selected through the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET-PG).

"Extending postgraduate medical education to district government hospitals has inspired the doctors-teachers to update their knowledge and most importantly, improved patient care through round-the-clock presence of resident doctors in these hospitals," she told

The Hindu.

DNB faculties are provided by the NHM for teaching and training students, who will also be treating patients at the hospitals. Hence, these hospitals will have additional specialists, the doctor told the daily. With the NHM also providing the required budget for infrastructure strengthening of these centers, equipment which would help in providing quality care to patients is being obtained.