Mandatory Family Medicine Department in Each Medical College: Kerala HC tells state to decide

Kerala: Pulling up the state government on the lack of Family Medicine doctors in the state as well as the absence of a mandatory department of family medicine in all medical colleges, the Kerala High Court has directed the state health Ministry to dispose of the matter in the next two months. 

Kerala High Court directed the Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to dispose of the plea filed by The Social Health One Health Movement Charitable Trust within two months in the matter of the creation of the mandatory department of family medicine in all medical colleges, filling of the posts in Family Health Centres only with doctors who have received specialized training in Family Medicine, i.e., MD/DNB/Diploma in Family Medicine and to provide adequate in-service training to the doctors appointed in Family Health Centres in Kerala in the field of family medicine.

The importance of the department of family medicine came into light when The Social Health One Health Movement Charitable Trust and Prof. Dr. P.K. Sasidharan filed a Public Interest Litigation in the High Court of Kerala requiring to direct the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the enforcement of family medicine in medical colleges.

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The NGO and the doctor through their plea alleged that they have been working towards the need for the Indian medical system to focus on general practice/ family doctors and only an efficient primary health care system can help in focusing on health and wealth scientifically and reducing disease burden and patient load in tertiary care centers like medical colleges. They through their plea also showcased the importance of family doctors in society as they are the first person to come in contact with whenever any kind of emergency arises.

The petitioners through their submission highlighted that as compared to the nations like the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, and Cuba which introduced family medicine decades ago, India has lagged because it failed to promote the most needed class of doctors i.e., family doctors. The alleged plea also highlighted the importance of family doctors given the recent covid-19 times, when most of society people were unable to afford the heavy costs of treatment. It also showcased the problem where the potential value of family medicine was not adequately understood.

The plea alleged that in the year 2002, the ministry of health and family welfare had recommended that "at least 25% of post-graduation seats shall be of family medicine and no new postgraduate seats should be started unless the condition was fulfilled". The same was highlighted in the national health policy 2017 but no steps were taken to start the courses for family medicine all over the country including Kerala despite being the best healthcare model in India.

The petitioners alleged through their petition that before approaching the Hon'ble court they had given their recommendation to the state and union government directly, but the same was not considered. The petitioners also applied the proposal for the "inclusion of family medicine department as mandatory for minimum standards required for recognition of medical colleges and student admission to MBBS." On 25th August 2021 which still stands undecided.

The court after considering the plea of the petitioners (an NGO and a professor doctor) directed the Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare to acknowledge the application made on 25th August 2021 and dispose of the same within two months.

"If such representation is acknowledged and pending on the file of the Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, New Delhi, the 1st respondent, the same be disposed of, in accordance with law, within two months from the date of receipt of a copy of this judgment."

To read the full judgment, click on the link below:

https://medicaldialogues.in/pdf_upload/kerala-hc-family-medicine-190580.pdf