Secy reviews creation of Emergency Medicine Deptt in GMCs
Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 9: In a progressive move aimed at enhancing the well being as well as work-life balance of Senior Residents (SRs)/Tutors and Postgraduate (PG) students, the Health and Medical Education (H&ME) Department has ordered one-day weekly-off and 20 days of Casual Leave, including five academic leaves per year for all Senior Residents (SRs)/Tutors and Postgraduate Students executing their assignments in Government Medical Colleges of J&K.
This significant step has been taken in compliance to National Medical Commission (NMC) and National Board of Education (NBE) norms. As per the order, for Senior Residents/ Tutors, there shall be weekly one-day off (subject to exigencies of work). In addition, a Senior Resident/ Tutor shall be eligible for 20 days of Casual Leave while 5 days of Academic Leave per year shall be admissible subject to the relevance of the programme to the course.
According to the order, the female Senior Residents/Tutors shall be allowed Maternity Leave, MTP/Abortion Leave as per existing Government rules and regulations besides male Senior Residents/Tutors shall be allowed Paternity Leave as per existing rules. It further adds that the tenure/course will be extended by the same number of days for which Maternity/ Paternity Leave will be availed.
For Post-graduate students in Medical Education, there shall be weekly one-day off (subject to exigencies of work). Further, all PG students shall be eligible for 20 days of Casual Leave and 5 days of Academic Leave. The Female PGs shall be allowed Maternity Leave, MTP/Abortion Leave as per existing rules while as Male PGs shall be allowed Paternity Leave. This shall be however subject to the minimum attendance requirement during the course as per NMC norms. The period of training shall be extended by same number of days for which Maternity/ Paternity Leave and total excess Casual Leave, over and above minimum attendance requirement, are availed during the training/course.
Likewise, the DNB PG student shall be eligible to avail a maximum of twenty 20 days Casual Leave in a year excluding regular duty off Gazetted holidays as per Hospital/ Institute calendar/policy. The Female DNB PG students shall be allowed Maternity Leave, MTP/Abortion Leave as per Government rules which are applicable to DNB Training Institute while as a Male DNB PG students shall be allowed Paternity Leave.
“Further, any changes in the guidelines/norms of NMC and NBE for leaves to Senior Residents/Tutors and PG students of Government Medical Colleges and DNB PG students shall apply ipso-facto”, the order read.
Speaking on the development, Secretary of Health and Medical Education, Dr Syed Abid Rasheed Shah said that Maternity Leaves and Casual Leaves for SRs and PGs are aimed at a women friendly work ecosystem in the Health and Medical Education Department. He added that after consultations with stakeholders in the Department and realizing the genuineness of their demands, they have decided to permit these leaves, in consonance with the norms of the regulatory bodies.
Meanwhile, Dr. Syed Abid Rasheed Shah reviewed the creation of Department of Emergency Medicine in all the Government Medical Colleges of J&K in a meeting of senior officers of the department.
The meeting was attended, among others, by Principals of all the Government Medical Colleges, Director, Finance, H&ME, Joint Director, Planning, H&ME, Additional Secretary and Deputy Secretary, Medical Education.
The Secretary, H&ME sought inputs from Principals and senior faculty members of GMCs for fast-tracking the establishment of 30-bedded Emergency Medicine Department in all GMCs.
Dr. Abid Rasheed while highlighting the vision of providing holistic and quality emergency medical care to all those who seek it, expressed urgency for expeditious processing of all formalities for creation of faculty posts as per JK Finance Department’s instructions. He called for optimal utilization of available infrastructure, manpower and necessary procurement of equipments to make the Department functional within the shortest possible time.
The meeting was informed that with medical emergencies becoming a serious burden for the health system and NCDs like stroke, acute coronary syndrome, respiratory, diabetic complications and alcohol liver diseases conditions requiring immediate care, the Emergency Medicine Department shall be able to improve trauma care and emergency in GMCs more efficiently.
The National Medical Commission norms also mandate establishment of the Department of Emergency Medicine for all Medical Colleges with effect from academic year 2022-2023 onwards. All Medical Colleges with recognized MBBS Qualification are required to have a Department of Emergency Medicine at the level of recognition and at any stage of renewal including against increase in intake.
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