NMC allows KUHS to transfer MBBS interns of Kannur Medical College to other colleges following HC order

Kochi: Complying with the High Court order, the Undergraduate Medical Education Board (UGMEB) of the National Medical Commission (NMC) has recently allowed the Kerala University of Health Sciences (KUHS) for transferring the MBBS medicos of Anjarakandy-based Kannur Medical College to other institutes.

The permission in this regard has been given by UGMEB President Dr Aruna Vanikar in a letter dated June 6. Such a decision has been taken by the NMC board after taking note of the poor facilities in the medical college. 

This comes after recently while considering the plea by six medical students, the Kerala High Court issued an interim order on May 31 and directed the Apex Medical Body to consider transferring the students as 'a one-time measure'.

Approaching the High Court bench, the MBBS medicos referred to the 'woefully insufficient' facilities at Kannur Medial College and prayed for permission so that their compulsory rotating mandatory internship (CRMI) gets transferred to other hospitals.

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Times of India had reported that the counsel for KUHS, P Sreekumar submitted to the bench that the University had conducted an inspection at KMC back in March and had found that the facilities were insufficient and the institute had 'several discrepancies'. Besides, the University had also expressed its doubt regarding the patients, who were present during the inspection. 

KUHS submitted to the court that the patients 'were perhaps not genuine, but put up by the college to create the facade of having sufficient infrastructure.'

When KUHS submitted that the transfer of students would only be possible following clearance from the State Government and NMC, the bench inquired NMC if it could allow the transfer as a one-time measure, especially considering the peculiar circumstances and public interest.

At that time, the bench had directed NMC and KUHS to submit a detailed report report regarding the situation. The bench comprising of Justice Devan Ramachandran had observed at that time, "Imagine a situation where we create doctors, or for that matter any other professionals, who are halfbaked in their knowledge and incapable of performing their essential duties. This would be catastrophic to the state as a whole and not merely to the students who are before me."

The bench had also opined that improperly trained doctors could 'create havoc in the public health system'. Speaking to TOI regarding the matter, the Vice-chancellor of KUHS, Dr. Mohanan Kunnummal said "The varsity has submitted a detailed report about the situation to NMC and is awaiting guidance. "

Complying with the HC order, the NMC UG Medical Education Board has given its nod for the proposal of transferring the students to other facilities. As per the latest media report by the Times of India, Dr. Vanikar, the President of UGMEB referred to the KUHS inspection reports and mentioned in the letter dated June 6 that the reports showed that none of the departments in the medical college were functioning properly. No procedures were being conducted and no patients were coming to the Hospital. In fact KUHS had also mentioned in its report that medical students would not be able to get a qualitative internship at the hospital.