CHENNAI: Health Minister Ma Subramanian on Tuesday met Union Health Secretary Rajesh Bhushan in New Delhi and submitted eight charter demands from Tamil Nadu, including the State’s opposition to the draft Post Graduate Medical Education Regulations, 2021.
The State also requested the Union Health Ministry to release the first tranche of funds for financial year 2022-23 under National Health Mission (NHM), Prime Minister Atmanirbhar Swasth Bharat Yojana (PM-ABHIM) and 15th Finance Commission. Tamil Nadu hasn’t received the Rs 216.30 crore approved under PM-ABHIM and Rs 80.21 crore under NHM yet.
The charter demand regarding the PG Medical Education Regulations said, “The State opposes the section 11.2 of the draft Post Graduate Medical Education Regulations which attempts to centralise and designate the Directorate General of Health Services, Union Health Ministry as the designated authority for counselling for State quota seats.” The State said the section violates the provision in section 15 of the Main National Medical Commission Act, 2019, which mentions that “the designated authority of the State government shall conduct the common counselling for the seats at the State level.”
It pointed out that the section 11.1 in the draft and its sub-clauses were an attempt towards giving effect to the yet-to-be-introduced licentiate exam for enrolment in medical registers and making it serve the role of NEET for admission to PG courses. “Tamil Nadu has consistently been against the proposed National Exit Test as well as the proposal to make it the basis of admission to PG seats,” the State added.
Early action to get the President’s assent to the anti-NEET Bill passed by the TN Assembly, allowing the State to fill all professional seats including MBBS, BDS and AYUSH courses on the basis of Class 12 marks alone, expedition of the construction and establishment of Madurai AIIMS, enabling medical students from Ukraine to continue their studies in India, and establishment of TN’s second AIIMS in Coimbatore and six new medical colleges in Ranipet, Tirupattur, Kancheepuram, Perambalur, Tenkasi and Mayiladuthurai were the other requests the State made. The health minister also requested to sanction funds of Rs 1,200 crore for establishment of colleges of nursing in 30 government medical colleges.
Subramanian along with the TN Health Secretary P Senthilkumar also met AYUSH Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and requested for the redevelopment of the Government Homoeopathy Medical College and Hospital, Thirumangalam and to expedite establishment of All India Institute of Siddha Medicine (AIS).