Jammu and Kashmir’s administration has come under sharp criticism from doctors for stripping of the powers of principals of medical colleges, with the experts calling it an infringement on the rights of the executive heads of the medical institutions ensured by the National Medical Commission (NMC).
Well-known Oncosurgeon Dr Sameer Kaul said the healthcare administration and management are expansive areas and must be discharged by trained accredited professionals. “In fact creation of Indian Health Care Services is most desirable.That Clinicians and Academics will have an edge cannot be denied,” Kaul tweeted.
The decision is seen as a setback to the career progression of the doctors and interference in their work by non-medico bureaucrats.
The executive body of the Medical Faculty Association (MFA) of Government Medical and Dental College Srinagar was held on Saturday to discuss the government draft-proposal regarding diversion of administrative powers of Principal Government Medical College Srinagar/Jammu to the Administrators of Associated Hospitals, and the implications thereof.
The MFA strongly feels that the draft-proposal amounts to degrading the chair of the Principals/Deans of the Government Medical Colleges of Srinagar and Jammu. “It is a clear infringement on the rights and the jurisdiction of the executive heads of the medical institutions ensured by the National Medical Commission and the University Grants Commission,” the MFA spokesperson said.
It says the proposal is against the best interests of patient care as the nuances of Healthcare and Medical Education can better be understood by an administrative head from a medical background.
“The proposal is against the affairs of undergraduate/postgraduate/Postdoctoral students where Principal is signatory between National Medical Commission, the university of affiliation and the students,” the MFA said, adding it is likely to adversely affect the recognition of the courses at all levels.
The draft-proposal is demoralizing to the faculty members who are busy fighting unrelenting variants of Covid-19 like Omicron, delta, etc. in addition to their routine responsibilities of healthcare and medical education, the MFA said.
The association would have no objection if the arrangement were part of national scheme applicable to all such institutions of the country. “No such example is available from any medical institutions in any of the states or the Union Territories,” it said.
The MFA urged the government to not go ahead with the draft-proposal so as to ensure the respect and the rights of the executive heads of medical institutions of repute like GMC Srinagar/Jammu and, hence, a cordial working atmosphere among various levels of administration is not disturbed.
Dr Masood Hassan said the rules of National Medical Commissiom (NMC or erstwhile MCI) governing medial colleges have been thrown into dustbin.
Hassan said medical colleges of J&K could face de-recognition from the NMC.
