Kolkata, May 11 (). West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday directed state Health Secretary Narayan Swaroop Nigam to explore the possibility of starting a three-year diploma course in medicine in the state, which would run parallel to the existing MBBS undergraduate course.
He directed the Health Secretary to constitute a committee to evaluate the possibilities of starting diploma courses in this regard.
However, his proposal created a controversy among the opposition parties and a section of the medical fraternity termed the decision as a risky proposition.
Addressing the media persons, the Chief Minister said that though many hospitals were coming up in the State, there was a huge shortage of doctors. Therefore, we have to examine whether a three-year diploma course in medicine can be started on the lines of diploma in engineering, he said. In that case many students will also be able to study that course.
He also said that since the existing MBBS course is of five years duration, often the state government has to wait a long time to get qualified doctors. Mamta said, the number of hospitals and beds have increased manifold. If a parallel diploma course can be started, then there qualified people can be utilized in the health centres. I think it will give positive results.
BJP state spokesperson Samik Bhattacharya said it would remain the chief minister’s proposal and would never see the light of the day. It is a dangerous proposition, he said.
Congress leader and Calcutta High Court lawyer Kaustav Bagchi said the chief minister’s proposal for a diploma in medicine on the lines of civilian volunteers in the police, if implemented, would put the lives of many patients at risk.
Even the medical fraternity has strongly opposed the idea. According to Dr. Arindam Biswas, a doctor from Calcutta, this model, although present to an extent in China, cannot be replicated in India.
SGK
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