New Delhi : Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare (Mohfw) Dr Bharati Pravin Pawar has said that the Central government has mandated all registered medical practitioners to comply with the provisions to prescribe generic names legibly and preferably in capital letters and has set up 9,600 Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendras to promote generic medicines at affordable prices. The Minister, in a written reply in the Lok Sabha, said that Clause 1.5 of the Indian Medical Council (Professional Conduct, Etiquette and Ethics) Regulations, 2002 prescribes that every physician should prescribe drugs with generic names legibly and preferably in capital letters and he/she shall ensure that there is rational prescription and use of drug.
In order to promote generic medicines at affordable prices to all, more than 9600 Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Janaushadhi Kendras (PMBJK) have been set up covering all districts of the country. Department of Pharmaceuticals /Pharmaceuticals & Medical Devices Bureau of India (PMBI) is spreading awareness about the scheme through advertisements by electronic media, print media as well as through Outdoor publicity.
In response to a question on whether there is a dearth of doctors/nurses/other paramedics in the country Dr. Pawar replied that according to the National Medical Commission (NMC), there are 13,08,009 allopathic doctors registered with State Medical Councils and the National Medical Commission as of June 2022. Pawar further said that the doctor-population ratio in India is at 1:854 which is better than WHO’s standard of 1:1000.
Dr. Pawar was also asked for the number of medical seats that were not filled in the last 3 years. The minister replied that in the last three years altogether 860 MBBS seats and 12758 PG medical seats remained vacant. Giving year-wise details Dr. Pawar informed the house that in the academic year 2019-2020 the total number of vacant UG and PG medical seats were 273 and 4614 respectively; for the academic year 2020-2021 the total number of vacant UG and PG medical seats were 326 and 3744 respectively and for the academic year 2021-2022 the total number of vacant UG and PG medical seats were 262 and 4400 respectively.
On the issue of asset disclosure of NMC members the minister replied that as per the provision of Section 6(6) of the NMC Act, 2019 all the members have to declare their assets and liabilities before and after demitting his/her office. The Minister further informed the house that all the members including the Chairperson has submitted the prescribed declaration of assets and liabilities.
