Semi-Doctors: CM Mamata Banerjee Proposes 3-year UG Diploma In Medicine, faces flak

Banerjee, who is also the health minister of the state, said that the regular MBBS course takes at least five years for one to be a medical graduate, and asserted that the diploma course “would address the shortfall of doctors”.

“Can we start a diploma course for doctors like engineers? If we can appoint them at least to primary health centres after completing their diploma, hospitals can provide them training. Doctors, Senior Nurses can train them. They will be like Semi- doctors. They can at least help in giving oxygen, life-saving drugs and saline,” she recommended.

While the CM has already asked state health secretary N S Nigam to look into the legal aspects of starting such a course to train more doctors for primary healthcare units, many have pointed out their reservations on the proposition.

CM’s Suggestions to address doctors’ shortfall:

"We get doctors after a training period of five years which is a long time. In all these years, they have to study hard and sit for examinations. Besides, we utilise them as junior doctors across different hospitals while they are still studying… Since there has been an increase in the number of seats, hospitals and patients, we can think about developing a diploma course as well. These doctors could be employed at primary healthcare units,” Banerjee said at a review meeting of 'Utkarsh Bangla' held at the state secretariat, as quoted by The Press Trust of India.

The CM further stated that senior doctors and professors could be engaged to train those who enroll for the diploma course.

“Parallely, since MBBS seats are increasing, medical colleges numbers are increasing, bed numbers in hospital are increasing, population is increasing, so if we can make a diploma course through which we can help the primary health infrastructure in Bengal. We can cover the area through these people. I think it will give good results,” she said.

She also stated that many students will be able to do this course. Those who are studying to become original doctors, they have to study for a long time, she said. They have to go through many examinations but if we have a parallel system of getting diploma doctors, then at least they can work in primary health care, she asserted, as quoted by Republic World.

She also asked Nigam to explore whether a law can be framed to elevate senior nurses as "semi-doctors" for training purposes.

Proposition opposed and reconsideration demanded:

Those opposing the proposal in West Bengal said that CM Mamata Banerjee is slowly trying to remove the government health system and permanent doctors because the state exchequer doesn't have money to fund their salaries and other expenses, reports Republic World.

A similar system has been in force for the police system of the state in which the government has recruited people in a force colloquially termed as ‘Civic Force’ which helps the government to bypass the responsibility of funding police force’s appropriate salaries, expenses and pensions.

West Bengal Doctors Forum (WBDF) founder-secretary Dr Koushik Sarkar said the state government should rethink this proposal scientifically.

“The proposal of a three-year diploma course is not all scientific. I will request the state government to think scientifically,” Dr Sarkar said adding that several doctors graduate from government as well as private colleges in West Bengal every year and a proper recruitment process will help in addressing the shortfall of doctors.

According to Dr Tirthankar Guha Thakurata, a faculty member with KPC Medical College & Hospital, West Bengal has already seen instances of mushrooming of private nursing colleges.

"Even if for argument's sake I agree that the proposed three-year diploma in medicine will solve the problem of lack of enough doctors at the primary health centers in the rural areas of West Bengal, the question remains about the quality training that these diploma doctors will have during the three-year course. Who will be the teaching faculty in the institutes offering diplomas in medicine? Who will guarantee the quality of education and training in these institutes? So I personally apprehend mushrooming of institutes whose products would never be capable of treating and healing people," he told IANS.

The city-based acclaimed doctor of general medicine, Dr Arindam Biswas said that he is strongly against this proposal for diploma doctors on two grounds.

"First, this is a short-cut and short-term solution to address the problem in the critical healthcare sector, where there is no guarantee of quality education and training,” he said.

"Secondly, why only the primary health centres in rural West Bengal be chosen for this experiment? This is a clear case of discrimination between rural and urban healthcare systems. Finally, what will be the authorised body that will ensure the quality of education in the institutes offering such diploma courses in medicine. Even during the previous Left Front regime there was a somewhat similar proposal which was rejected outright," said Dr Biswas while speaking to IANS.

City- based acclaimed maxillofacial surgeon Dr Srijon Mukherjee told IANS that introduction of this diploma courses in medicine is only possible if there is a watertight system for checks and balances.

"First, only candidates completing higher secondary in science stream with 60 per cent marks should only be eligible for getting admission for such diploma courses. Secondly, there should be an appropriate body who will be responsible for providing accreditation to institutes offering such diploma courses. Finally, certain areas of treatment should be restricted for such diploma doctors and there should be a proper monitoring system so that they do not cross the line under any circumstance. Now the question is whether there is a proper system and infrastructure to ensure all these conditions," Dr Mukherjee added.

Medical administrator Deepak Sarkar said that he smells a similar scam in the area of medical diplomas as it has happened in the case of mushrooming BEd and D.El.Ed colleges in general education.

"I do not know what will be the fate of the patients in the hands of diploma doctors. But surely the institutes offering such diplomas will be yet another medium of minting money for vested interest groups," he said.

Panel formed to explore possibility of introducing medicine diploma course

The West Bengal government has now formed a 14-member committee to explore the possibility of coming up with a diploma course in medicine with three years of classroom and practical training, a senior official informed PTI.

The panel includes senior doctors and representatives from the Indian Medical Association (IMA) and the West Bengal Medical Council (WBMC), the official said.

"In order to improve the access of healthcare, especially in the rural areas, the state government has formed an expert committee to explore the possibility of developing healthcare professionals with three years of classroom and practical training," he said.

The panel will submit its report within 30 days. Thereafter, further decisions in this regard will take place after talks with different stakeholders.

Moreover, the CM also stressed on the need for meeting the shortage of nurses at hospitals. The chief minister also asked the officials to look into the opening of 100 more nursing training institutes in the state.