Arora meets Health Minister Mandaviya, expresses concern on new NMC guidelines

Ludhiana: MP (Rajya Sabha) from Ludhiana Sanjeev Arora, met the Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Dr Mansukh Mandaviya in Delhi and expressed concern on new guidelines issued by National Medical Council (NMC) in the month of August 2023. This concern is being aired by all involved with Medical Education.

    Arora pointed out that first of all, capping of 150 MBBS seats for all hospitals in this notification is irrational. How can 150 seats be capped for all the institutions, he asked. An institution opening today cannot be at par with institutions running for decades. For new institutes it may be capped but for older institutions no cap should be there as long as they fulfil all the criteria.

    Adding, he said Respiratory subjects have been clubbed under General Medicine for UG Course. However, respiratory disease is becoming more and more common in lieu of recent Covid pandemic, TB and recent spike of another pandemic in China which is also lung related. Therefore, he urged upon the Union Minister that NMC needs to separate Respiratory subjects from General Medicine.

    Arora also pointed out that the condition of full infrastructure for new colleges to begin with is also irrational. It should be allowed in phases as per previous policy. Infrastructure should be allowed to be added as the classes proceed.

      The Minister agreed to take care of all of these issues as he more or less agreed with the issues brought up by Arora.