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Foreign doctors thriving in Hyderabad
In what comes as a major embarrassment to the State government, medical practitioners with degrees from Ukraine, Philippines, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Russia, Nepal, China and other Commonwealth (CIS) countries are working in hospitals in the twin-cities, even as the Hyderabad Police is busy cracking the whip on quacks in the Old City with more than 107 taken into custody in the last few days.
sans mci nod
In an alarming development, doctors with unrecognised degrees from Commonwealth of Independent States and China are working in smalltime hospitals in Hyderabad, posing a major risk to credulous common folks
Hyderabad: In what comes as a major embarrassment to the State government, medical practitioners with degrees from Ukraine, Philippines, Kazakhstan, Belarus, Russia, Nepal, China and other Commonwealth (CIS) countries are working in hospitals in the twin-cities, even as the Hyderabad Police is busy cracking the whip on quacks in the Old City with more than 107 taken into custody in the last few days.
According to the Medical Council Act, 1956, any person obtaining a medical degree from a foreign country has to clear the screening test conducted by the Medical Council of India (MCI) before being allowed to practice in India, but a majority of the students fail to clear the test. Dr K Suresh, president, Osmania Medical College Doctors Forum says, “Most of them do not clear the screening test and start working for low salaries as duty doctors or set up clinics of their own.”
The pass percentage of students clearing the screening test is between 20-25 per cent. Dr Ashutosh (name changed on request) who works with a corporate hospital says, “Candidates who do not pass the screening test are not qualified doctors. Period.” Thanks for the craze for a medical degree, well-to-do families are ready to send their wards to foreign universities.
On an average, more than 250 wannabe doctors from the city make their way to Russia and Commonwealth of Independent States and China. In 2015 alone, 50 students have gone to Kazakhstan through a private consultancy, Apex Consultants in Hyderabad. Anita, Student Relations Officer of Apex Consultants says, “Last year many students went to China but this year the trend shifted to Kazakhstan.”
According to Ramesh, an educational consultant, about 1,000 students go to foreign countries from Telangana every year but many do not complete the course. Even among those who finish the course, a few manage to clear the screening test conducted by MCI.
There are close to two dozen consultants in the twin-cities catering to the students who harbour aspirations of a medical degree. For hundreds who fail to find a place in medical colleges in the State, universities in Ukraine, Philippines and other countries have turned into alternatives.
The trend that started a decade-and-a-half ago of going to Russia and neighbouring countries now has shifted to China as well. According to Sujit, a consultant, “It is far cheaper to study abroad. For Rs 20 lakh one can finish the five-year course in Kazakhstan which includes accommodation.” However, once these students come back to India they find it difficult to get jobs in reputed hospitals.
Unable to pass the screening test and get a foothold in good hospitals, these students end up doing backend services and become duty doctors in smalltime hospitals.
By T P Venu
