The Indian Medical Association’s (IMA) long-listed demand for a separate cadre—Indian Medical Service (IMS)—in line with Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and Indian Police Service (IPS) and other cadres, has once again become a talking point among healthcare experts. The 21st century is the ‘century of pandemics’ and it requires foresight to plan for the IMS as a new cadre of UPSC.

It should include the Public Health Management cadre to effectively respond to the pandemics and focal epidemics, say experts who are concerned about the new blue book on Public Health Management Cadre (PHMC) launched recently. mid-day in its article, ‘Centre’s new health cadre booklet flawed, says health experts’,  dated April 20, stated the Ministry of Health’s (MOH) recommendations have fallen short of expectations.