New Delhi : MP V. Sivadasan wrote to the Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Mansukh Mandaviya urging that the Centre desist from measures to prevent establishment of new medical colleges in States including Kerala.
The new notification from National Medical Commission stipulates a new ratio of “100 MBBS seats per 10 lakh of the population”. This will seriously impact States whose current seats ratio stands above this level. The move will also prohibit starting of new medical colleges in South India. This notification is totally anti-people in that, instead of government upping its investment in the health and medical education sector, it is actually moving to inhibit establishment of new medical colleges, the letter read.
Kerala currently has 131 MBBS seats per 10 lakh population. Even so the State needs more doctors and health professions in view of growing lifestyle diseases and its expanding population. Besides, the State offers robust medical educational facilities that potentially attracts students from across the country.
States in India have varied social and economic conditions and imposing a uniform ban such as the notification, will seriously hamper advancement of medical education in the States, the letter read.
The letter concludes by seeking immediate withdrawal of the Centre's sealing limit and protect rights of States to provide advanced medical education, that essentially is part of India’s own future in terms of medical education.
