Doctors' body seeks NMC intervention over severe deficiencies at Faridabad's medical college

Faridabad: Coming in support of medical students at Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Government Medical College, Chhainsa, who have highlighted the lack of basic facilities on campus, such as clean drinking water and reliable electricity supply, a doctors' body has written to the National Medical Commission (NMC) seeking urgent intervention.

The Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) has raised serious concerns over the severe and persistent deficiencies in infrastructure, academics, and hospital services at the institution. It stated that despite the college being approved by the NMC in 2020, with its first batch admitted in 2022, the institution has failed to meet even the most basic standards required for a functioning medical college.

Medical Dialogues had reported that the students complained of no proper access to clean drinking water and that the electricity arrangements in classrooms are inadequate. They said this has made the situation difficult, especially during the ongoing extreme heat. Due to the lack of clean water, students alleged they are forced to buy drinking water online. They stressed that they need a permanent solution rather than temporary arrangements.

Apart from this, students also raised concerns about the hospital attached to the college. They claimed that there are no patients, irregular electricity supply, and no proper clean water facility. They added that while they came to study, the institution lacks basic academic infrastructure.

In a letter to the Chairperson of NMC, the association highlighted several critical deficiencies at the institution following which it primarily demanded immediate re-inspection of the institution by an independent and strict NMC panel.

Hospital Services and Clinical Exposure

At the time of admission of the first batch, the association said that even OPD services were non-functional. While OPD services have now commenced, patient inflow remains extremely low and IPD services continue to be non-functional, severely compromising clinical training. 

Additionally, FAIMA said that essential medicines are frequently unavailable in the hospital pharmacy, forcing patients to procure them externally, further reducing patient retention and clinical learning opportunities.

Basic Infrastructure Failures

The association further pointed out that the students continue to face chronic issues related to electricity and water supply. They have repeatedly raised complaints regarding faulty wiring, unreliable generators, and prolonged power outages.

There is also an alarming shortage of water, including drinking water, within academic buildings and hostels. Despite repeated representations to the Dean and Director, no effective corrective action has been taken.

Academic Deficiencies

"Several key clinical departments including General Medicine, Radiology, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, and Psychiatry are currently functioning without adequate faculty, with some departments having no faculty at all," the association said.

It also highlighted about other departments which are severely understaffed, with only one or two faculty members. Consequently, regular teaching schedules are not being followed, and students are being deprived of essential academic and clinical training.

Repeated Non-Compliance Despite Inspections

"Multiple inspections by the National Medical Commission and the affiliating university have identified these deficiencies. However, there has been no meaningful improvement, and inspections appear to be reduced to procedural formalities without ensuring compliance," FAIMA stated in the letter. 

Failure to Meet Minimum Standards

Despite being designated as a government medical college and tertiary care center under the Government of Haryana, the association said that the institution fails to meet even the basic standards comparable to Primary Health Centres (PHCs) or Community Health Centres (CHCs).

"The 2022 batch, being the pioneer batch, is bearing the brunt of these systemic failures, which are directly impacting their education, clinical competence, and future careers," it added.

In view of this, FAIMA urged the apex medical commission to take immediate action, including re-inspection of the institution, time-bound rectification of all identified deficiencies, deployment of adequate qualified faculty across all departments, operationalisation of IPD services along with strengthening of OPD services to ensure sufficient patient load, ensuring uninterrupted electricity and water supply, and fixing accountability of the concerned administrative authorities for continued non-compliance.

In a statement to Medical Dialogues, the students said, "The 2022 batch being the first batch is suffering the most. There have been many complaints regarding electricity and water shortage to the Dean and Director at regular intervals by the students. Despite that, the authorities have taken no action against students demands and students continue to suffer even in their exam times. The authorities are being ignorant on the issue of faculty shortage, they just give false hope and false promises to the students. The NMC and University inspections of the college have also occurred from time to time and many deficiencies which were found in this college every time are yet to get resolved. There is no fruitful result of the inspections and they just happen like a formality. The Haryana Government has just opened this college but the norms and regulations required for a functioning Medical College, the so called tertiary care center is not even par with the PHCs or CHCs."

Also read- No water, electricity issues: MBBS students protest flagging poor facilities at Faridabad's medical college