BENGALURU: The Consortium of Accredited Healthcare Organisations, Association of National Board Accredited Institutions (ANBAI) and Mission hospitals in Bengaluru on Tuesday opposed the mere 20 percent proportion of elected representatives from medical fraternity in the proposed National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill 2017.
"The founding principles of modern medicine are evidence-based and are rooted in standard treatment protocols, which have nothing in common with the traditional systems of medicine like AYUSH. Therefore, mixing up of these systems of medicine through bridge courses will in no way be appropriate. On the contrary it will undermine patient safety and promote quackery," said Dr Alexander Thomas, Member-Secretary, Task Force for Karnataka Public Health Policy.
Dr Devi Shetty, founder, Narayana Hrudayalaya, said, "Following successful completion of the MBBS exam enforcing another National Licentiate Exam is superfluous. However, those aspiring to do postgraduate courses can be made to appear for common PG entrance exam.
Dr BS Ajai Kumar, Karnataka state president Association of Healthcare Providers of India (AHPI) said, “An autonomous and independent body governing licensing, standardisation, accreditation, and monitoring of medical education is needed. For this, there should be minimum government involvement and representation in the Committee, and more participation of relevant stakeholders, in the same."
"Moreover, there should not be any bridging course for AYUSH doctors to practise Allopathic medicine. The Allopathic education criteria needs to be looked at realistically,” he said.
Dr Thomas Chandy, Advisor, ANBAI Karnataka Chapter, said,“The NMC Bill will once and for all resolve the issue of equivalence between MD/MS and NBE degrees and there will be no disparity."