24 March,2011 06:36 AM IST | | Alifiya Khan
To start functioning after a decade; over 300 cases pending
After a gap of more than a decade, the state's premier medical body Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) meant for self-regulating the medical fraternity will finally start functioning properly again.
The body, which was defunct for 12 years at a stretch, has sweeping powers right from issuing medical registrations to renewals and cancelling registration of doctors for misconduct and even interfering in medical curriculum when necessary.
Now, there is hope for redressal of the 300-odd cases of medical negligence and misconduct filed by people in the past decade. From loss of pregnancy to cross practice, fake medical degrees and luring patients through illegal advertisements, hundreds of cases are pending for hearing at the MMC. Some of them date back to the 90s, said sources at the council.
Why the delay?
To form the committee that runs MMC, a panel of 15 doctors is required; 10 are elected by doctors across the state through voting while state government nominates five members. In April 2009, elections were held for the MMC after a decade in which eight of the 10 elected members were from the Indian Medical Association's panel. However, for two years the state government did not nominate five members.
"The delay happened because all the political parties were trying to recommend doctors who are part of their party or friendly to them. But when nothing happened for two years, the IMA filed a petition against the state for its failure to nominate members on the council. This was done after we sent several letters to remind them of their role and was fed up. Finally they have woken up," said Dr Devendra Shirole, national vice-president of IMA's medico legal cell.
Sweeping powers
Elaborating on the importance of a medical body like MMC, doctors said its power to regulate the medical sector was underutilised to a criminal extent in the state with one of the most hi-tech medical facilities. "The power of the MMC is immense. Right from registering doctors and renewing their registrations, the council can prescribe the standard of medical education in colleges. For example, if it finds a course isn't being taught to the required level, the MMC can call college authorities and interfere in it," said Sanjay Gupte, gynaecologist and MMC member .
Nominees
On March 17, the government issued a notification in which names of five doctors were declared as nominees and also said that the committee can now be formed. The nominees include Dr Rajeev Yeravdekar from Pune, Dr Avinash Yelikar from Aurangabad, Dr Manoj Deshmukh from Mumbai, Dr Shankar Khobragade from Nagpur and Dr Neelima Kshirsagar from Mumbai.
