Lok Sabha to take up National Medical Commission Bill, 2017, today

 New Delhi: The Lok Sabha on Thursday will take up The National Medical Commission Bill, 2017 for consideration and passing. The Bill will be moved by Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Jagat Prakash Nadda.

The Bill provides for "a medical education system that ensures the availability of adequate and high-quality medical professionals; that encourages medical professionals to adopt the latest medical research in their work and to contribute to research."

According to official details, the Bill also envisions "periodic assessment of medical institutions and facilitates maintenance of a medical register for India and enforces high ethical standards in all aspects of medical services; that is flexible to adapt to changing needs and has an effective grievance redressal mechanism."

In February this year, the Union Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved scheme for augmenting human resources for health and medical education under which 24 new medical colleges to be set up in underserved areas 18,058 undergraduate (UG) and post-graduate (PG) seats to be increased in medical colleges along with the setting up of 248 nursing and midwifery schools.

Giving a boost to health and medical education, the CCEA, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has given its approval for the continuation and taking up additional phases of human resources for health and medical education schemes at a total estimated cost of Rs 14,930.92 crore up to 2019-20.

According to Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 3, ensuring healthy lives and promoting the well-being for all at all ages is essential to sustainable development and as per the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendations, there should be one doctor for 1,000 population.