A Significant Setback for Healthcare in India

These departments are vital for addressing a range of medical issues, from treating differently-abled individuals to combating respiratory diseases and handling critical emergency cases. The recent COVID-19 pandemic has been about respiratory medicine. Imagine depriving this department of tertiary care hospitals or medical colleges. Removing them leaves medical students ill-equipped to deal with real-world scenarios, compromising the quality of care they can provide.

NMC’s Decision: Undermining Healthcare Equity

The National Medical Commission’s (NMC) decision reveals a lack of prioritization for healthcare essentials but also highlights a disturbing double standard in ensuring equal healthcare access.

By labeling these indispensable departments as non-essential, the NMC sends a disheartening message to marginalized and differently-abled individuals who depend on specialized care. This perpetuates healthcare inequalities and contradicts the core values of inclusiveness and fairness. Stripping these specializations undermines the very foundation of healthcare equity, denying patients the expertise crucial for addressing specific health needs.

Moreover, the absence of these specialties undermines critical health objectives. In India’s pursuit to eradicate tuberculosis by 2025, the removal of departments vital for combatting such diseases sets back the nation’s healthcare progress. The NMC’s decision misses a chance to showcase dedication to healthcare fairness, inclusivity, and the welfare of all citizens. It’s imperative that the NMC reevaluates its decision, collaborates with experts, and reinstates these pivotal specializations to advance India’s healthcare system.

What Exactly is the Health Field Losing when they Remove Certain Specializations?

Each of the removed departments serves a unique purpose in addressing specific healthcare challenges.

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  Respiratory medicine is crucial for tackling issues related to lung diseases, which have become increasingly prevalent due to environmental pollution and lifestyle factors. And increasingly all recent viral endemics be it bird flu, swine flu, or COVID-19 directly affect the lungs




• Emergency medicine is essential for handling critical cases that require immediate attention and expertise. With over 450,000 road traffic accidents in India and over 150,000 fatal injuries, emergency services are already stressed due to a lack of expert medical and paramedical staff




• Physical medicine and rehabilitation are indispensable for helping differently-abled individuals lead better lives. Orthopedics and neuro-sciences are two departments that depend on this specialty for further care and rehabilitation of patients

By axing these departments, the NMC is not only disregarding the importance of specialization but also compromising the holistic approach that modern healthcare demands.

Currently, India has almost 700 medical colleges and many are in the private sector Some of the private sector medical colleges do have challenges in getting their hospitals to attract patients in some of these departments. For example, emergency care physicians are not paid adequately and hence there may be some colleges struggling to maintain such departments. NMC is required to work out a plan where these departments are required to be subsidized by the management of the medical college as a prerequisite to granting a license to start college.

Backlash and Repercussions

The medical community’s backlash against these decisions is warranted and urgent. Medical associations, experts, and practitioners have expressed their concerns about the detrimental impact these changes will have on both medical education and patient care. These decisions also raise questions about the NMC’s decision-making process and the lack of consultation with experts who understand the ground realities of healthcare.

The Way Forward

Healthcare is a dynamic field that requires continuous adaptation to changing medical landscapes and patient needs. The NMC’s decisions should be informed by evidence-based practices, consultation with medical professionals, and a commitment to advancing medical education and patient care.

Reinstating the essential departments of physical medicine and rehabilitation, respiratory medicine, and emergency medicine is not just a matter of academic discourse; it’s a matter of public health, patient well-being, and the future of Indian healthcare.

In conclusion, the NMC’s decision to remove critical medical departments from the list of essentials is a grave mistake that could have far-reaching long-term consequences that can result in stunting the growth of these specialties and a shortage of specialists. It threatens to produce ill-prepared doctors, compromise patient care, and perpetuate disparities in healthcare accessibility.

The medical community and society at large must voice their concerns and demand a reconsideration of these decisions. The health and well-being of future generations depend on it.

Reference :

1. National Medical Mission – (https:www.nmc.org.in/MCIRest/open/getDocument?path=/Documents/Public/Portal/LatestNews/Amendment%20to%20MSR.pdf)

Source: Medindia