Health Bulletin 27/ January/ 2025

One of the key changes introduced by the National Medical Commission (NMC) in the recently released Draft Teachers Eligibility Qualifications (TEQ) 2024 Regulations is to increase the pool of faculties to teach in medical colleges.

While on the one hand, NMC has allowed Diploma holders appointed as Senior Residents before 08.06.2017 of working as specialist/Medical Officers in a Government Medical College for six years to join the medical colleges as Assistant Professors, it has also specified that a non-teaching Consultant/Specialist/Medical Officer, possessing Postgraduate Medical Degree, working for at least four or ten years in a minimum 220 bedded teaching/non-teaching Government Hospitals shall also be eligible to become Assistant or Associate Professor respectively of that broad speciality.

Highlighting the mental trauma that the doctors have to face for falsely being implicated as accused under the POCSO Act for failing to report the commission of a crime against a minor, the Kerala High Court has asked the investigating officers to be extra cautious. With this, the bench granted relief to the gyanceologist.

The Court issued this direction after noting that doctors got arrayed as accused with Section 19 of the POCSO Act mechanically, without applying the mind of the investigating officer.

The National Medical Commission (NMC) has not yet taken any action against 198 medical colleges that were found to be not paying any stipend to their interns and resident doctors.

Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that back in November, last year, NMC had slapped show-cause notices to these institutes for non-compliance with the Commission's directions to upload the details of the stipend paid to the interns and resident doctors.

The health department has sealed a clinic in Dara Syedpora, Harwan, Srinagar following accusations of providing unproven medical treatments.

The clinic, operating under the name Famous Cure Quackery, was found to be performing illegal and unverified medical procedures, leading to the seizure of medicines and samples for investigation.

Dr. K M Cherian, the renowned Indian heart surgeon known for his pioneering contributions to cardiac surgery, passed away on Saturday night at the age of 82. Dr. Cherian was instrumental in revolutionizing heart care in India and is best remembered for performing the country’s first successful coronary artery bypass surgery in 1975. His innovative contributions to medicine have saved countless lives.

Dr K M Cherian, originally from Kerala, completed his schooling in Alappuzha’s Chengannur, where the renowned Dr KM Cherian Institute of Medical Sciences now stands. This institute offers advanced cardiac, neuro, and gastro surgeries, among other specialized services. He pursued his medical studies at Kasturba Medical College in Mangalore, before beginning his career as a lecturer at Christian Medical College in Vellore. Notably, Dr. Cherian was one of the first Indian cardiac surgeons to travel abroad for further specialization, moving to Australia as a senior registrar, a role for doctors undergoing intensive, advanced training. His pursuit of excellence led him to the University of Alabama, widely regarded as the Mecca of cardiac surgery.

The Union Government recently announced the list of Padma Awards 2025 recipients and 10 eminent persons have made it to the list for their contributions to the field of medicine.

‘Padma Vibhushan’ is awarded for exceptional and distinguished service; ‘Padma Bhushan’ for distinguished service of high order and ‘Padma Shri’ for distinguished service in any field. While one doctor has been conferred with 'Padma Vibhushan' and one with 'Padma Bhushan', 7 doctors received the 'Padma Shri' award this year.