Excelsior Correspondent
SRINAGAR, Oct 26: The State Administrative Council (SAC) which met under the chairmanship of Governor, Satya Pal Malik accorded sanction to the start of DNB (Diplomats of National Board) courses in the Tertiary Level and District Hospitals of the Jammu and Kashmir.
Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed considerable improvement in the health sector over the years. In many health parameters, Jammu and Kashmir is ranked ahead of the national average. The Infant Mortality Rate (IMR) has been brought down from 34 to 26 (eight points) alone in 2018, which is highest among all states.
However, there is still shortage of specialists in the District and Sub-District Hospitals. To address the shortage in rural/peripheral set-ups, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India has authorized the National Board of Examination (NBE) to start DNB programmes in the State owned District/Provincial Hospitals having the potential to meet the minimum accreditation requirements.
The commencement of DNB courses in District Hospitals will be an important endeavor to address the key concerns of shortage of specialists in District Hospitals. With the implementation of DNB programme in Jammu and Kashmir, 225 DNB seats shall become available in such institutions by January 2020, thus giving opportunities of higher education to the doctors and increasing the availability of specialists in the District Hospitals. This programme is supported by National Health Mission (NHM) and with its implementation, Ayushman Bharat- Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojna (PMJAY), shall also get boost in its implementation.
Once the DNB courses are started in core specialties of Medicine, Surgery, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Pediatrics, Anesthesia, Radiology and Pathology etc, the health care institutions are expected to deliver comprehensive range of specialized services especially teaching & research.
In a separate decision, SAC approved commencement of B.SC Paramedical Courses in the Super Specialty Hospitals at Jammu and Srinagar and in the Associated Hospitals of the new GMCs of Anantnag, Baramulla, Doda, Kathua and Rajouri.
The SAC also accorded sanction to the one time absorption by way of lateral entry of faculty member of Government Medical College, Srinagar and Senior Consultants/Consultants of Health Services Department in the new Government Medical Colleges (GMCs) of Doda and Rajouri on the recommendations of the designated Committee through a transparent process.
SAC accorded sanction to the one time absorption by lateral entry in GMC Doda of Dr. Aftab Ahmad Khan as Associate Professor in the discipline of General Surgery, Dr. Shiv Kumar as Associate Professor in the discipline of Orthopedics, Dr. Neeraj Kumar as Associate Professor in the discipline of Pediatrics.
SAC accorded sanction to the one time absorption by lateral entry in GMC Rajouri of Dr. Zubair Afzal Khan as Professor in the discipline of General Surgery, Dr. Javed Iqbal as Associate Professor in the discipline of Paediatrics and Dr. Zakir Hussain as Associate Professor in the discipline of General Surgery.
The appointment of the there doctors as faculty members in these new Government Medical Colleges shall be among others, subject to the conditions that they shall pass the mandatory ‘Head Count Test’ of the Medical Council of India (MCI) and in case any of them fails to pass such test, he shall be reverted to his parent Department and shall not have any claim for appointment in the Medical College for which he has been recommended for appointment. The appointment of Consultants/Senior Consultants of Health Department on the posts of Professors/Associate Professors shall also be subject to their confirmation by the Departmental Promotion Committee/J&K Public Service Commission.
The decision will facilitate positioning of faculty in these new Medical Colleges to comply with the MCI guidelines and tide over the deficiency of faculty. This will also meet the requirements of Head Count of MCI for grant of Letter of Permission for starting of MBBS Course in GMC Doda for the year, 2020-21.
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