What is the issue?
Brought as a measure of overhauling the medical regulatory system, the National Medical Commission Bill has some serious shortfalls.
What are the problems with health care system?
- The Bill comes as a recognition that self-regulation under the Medical Commission India has failed the medical profession on many counts.
- Medical education is prohibitively expensive, scarce and its syllabi so inadequate.
- Inevitably, the process of regulation in a situation of a serious shortage of medical colleges has been riddled with corruption.
- There is a worrying shortage of doctors and health care professionals in the country, especially in remote regions.
What are the shortfalls in the bill?
- There are genuine worries on how effective the Bill could address the corruption-ridden health care system.
- The elaborate structure under the NMC Bill distributes powers more widely and has checks and balances.
- However, experience has shown that government appointments to regulatory roles do not necessarily imply better regulation.
- The cronyism in appointments that afflicts regulatory bodies could render insignificant the purpose of rooting out corruption.
- Also, the NMC’s power to effect deep-rooted change remains in doubt because of its umbrella status.
- There is a possibility of abdication of responsibility by the states in setting up medical councils in their jurisdictions within three years.
- More importantly, the clause on bridge course fails to acknowledge the fundamental differing principles that traditional and modern medical systems follow.
Source: Business Standard
