The Ministry of Heath and Family Welfare, who was seeking nod from the IMA (Indian Medical Association) to let dentists practice in mainstream medical, has got a big no from the association.
The meeting to discuss regarding “scaling up of medical education in India” was held in the Prime Minister’s Office on April 9th this year. The Prime Minister,Narendra Modi himself agreed to approach the dentists to make their qualification equivalent to MBBS doctors, under bridge course.
But the IMA denying the plea yesterday alleged that idea of bridge courses and mid-level practitioners to fill the gap doctors in rural areas is a myth.
Santanu Sen, National President, IMA further proclaimed “There is no shortage of doctors in the country. 63,250 MBBS graduates come out of 494 medical colleges of India. India has only 23,729 post graduate seats. The fact remains that the government does not have the capacity to absorb rest of them.
Secretary General of IMA, R.V Asokan stated “The government’s attempts to provide half baked medical care to the citizens through mid-level practitioners are dangerous. The government should give permanent postings to MBBS graduates in the 1,50,000 wellness centres.”
“Every allied profession to medicine has a unique identity and serves a specific purpose. Dentists, Nurses, Optometrists, and Pharmacists have a role and should contribute their services in the respective fields. To baptize them as mid-level medical practitioners through six-months bridge course is being indifferent to the needs of patient safety and patient care,” he added.
The proposal to let dentists practice family medicine/mainstream medicine was initiated by the Dental Council of India after number of dentists and dental surgeons urged DCI for the same.