Bangalore: Union Health Ministry’s Task Force suggested scraping of all regulatory bodies, including the Medical Council of India, Dental Council of India, Pharmacy Council and the Nursing Council. According to the task force involved in revamp of medical education, there will be a single regulatory body instead, by the name of 'National Council for Human Resources in Health (NCHRH)'. The initiative was taken with a purpose to overhaul the medical education system across the country, with an aim of cleansing it.
The new council will oversee seven departments, related to medicine, nursing, dentistry, rehabilitation and physiotherapy, pharmacy, public health / hospital management and allied health sciences. It will also carry out assessment and accreditation of medical and health institutions across India. The move now needs a government notification.
Further, the task force has also proposed that prominent hospitals across the country be allowed to offer postgraduate courses. This is because there are very few PG seats in medical education in India, due to which students are left with no option, but to study whatever is given to them.
As per sources, the task force is also looking into critical and important matters, such as shortage of doctors, cross-connectivity in medical education and creation of new resources. Once the task force is ready with its recommendations, a draft bill for amendments in the Medical Council Act 1956 will be made, which will be sent to the Ministry of Law and the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).
