All govt hospitals to start DNB programmes, Private hospitals should get tax exemption: High-level panel on Health

New Delhi: All government hospitals should start DNB programmes and private hospitals providing DNB courses should be given tax incentives to encourage their participation, a high-level panel on Health has recommended.

The high-level group of health sector (HLG) was constituted by the 15th finance commission to evaluate the existing regulatory framework in the health sector for enabling a balanced yet faster expansion of the health sector; suggest ways to optimize the use of existing financial resources and to incentivize the state governments' effort on fulfilment of well-defined health parameters in India, and to holistically examine best international practices for the health sector and seek to benchmark our frameworks to these practices for optimizing benefits keeping in mind our local issues.

HLG included representatives from Niti Ayog, Board of Governor, MCI and Ministry of Health & Family Welfare met on various occasions and deliberated at length over the various issues, challenges faced by the healthcare delivery system in India and suggested remedial measures for the same. Some of its eminent members include Dr Randeep Guleria, Director AIIMS, Dr Devi Shetty, Chairman, Narayana Health City, Dr Deelip Govind Mhaishekar, Chairman MUHS, Dr Shrinath Reddy, Public Health Foundation of India, Dr Bhabatosh Bisward, HOD CTVS, RG Kar Medical College. 

The High-level group recommended certain drastic and radical changes to field of medical education, to address the problem of shortage of doctors and specialists and ensure 1:1 ratio between UG and PG medical seats in the country

" By the Year 2025, the government should be able to strengthen medical infrastructure so that each medicine undergraduate should have the option of pursuing postgraduate medical education," the group in its report stated

While stating that undergraduate medical teaching should only be imparted in medical college with residential campuses with amenities for student development, the group also clarified that same is not required for postgraduate medical teaching, which can be imparted in public and private sector hospitals not having attached medical college and residential campus.

The panel asymmetric distribution of medical colleges needs to be corrected as most of the medical colleges are situated in the western and southern part of India. All the public health facilities including district hospitals, private sector facilities and corporate hospitals should be utilised for starting specialists DNB courses which will not only enhance the service provisioning but will also ensure the availability of the trained human resource, the panel recommended

The report submitted to the government stressed on the use of DNB as a modality to increase PG and SS seats in the country, further recommending that even Govt institutes running MD/MS program may be allowed to run the DNB programme.

For the private sector, it recommended the hospitals Providing DNB courses may be given tax incentives under section 80JJA of Income Tax of India or any other Tax incentives as deemed appropriate. Further, these tax incentives should be linked to the outcome evaluation it stated

Enhancing Role of DNB in Healthcare Delivery

1. DNB route may be adopted by the private sector to unleash the medical education capability.
2. Hospitals Providing DNB courses may be given tax incentives under section 80JJA of Income Tax of India or any other Tax incentives as deemed appropriate. Further, these tax incentives should be linked to the outcome evaluation
3. All the public Hospitals can be utilized for starting DNB programme. Govt institutes running MD/MS program may be allowed to run the DNB programme.
4. Proposals may be invited from corporate and private sector Hospitals so that every bed in private sector hospitals can be utilized for medical education, to fill the gap between required and available number of specialists.
5. DNB providing Hospitals have to undergo NAAC like rating system.