14 resident doctors of Tanda college on edge

Kuldeep Chauhan

Tribune News Service

Shimla, May 31

The career of 14 resident doctors, of whom five have already completed their MD in the department of radiology, Dr Rajendra Prasad Government Medical College, Tanda, is at stake. The Medical Council of India (MCI) has refused recognition to the course for want of adequate equipment and other facilities.

The MCI had pointed out various shortcomings during its inspection at the departments of pharmacology and pathology.

MD residents said they could not apply for jobs in other institutions as their MD degrees were not recognised by the MCI. Out of the 14 residents, two batches of 2011-14 and 2012-15 comprising five candidates, have already completed MD in radio-diagnosis. They have been conferred degrees by Himachal Pradesh University.

“We are on edge as the medical college did not take the matter seriously. It continued to admit students. Today, the radiology department faces closure and the authorities are to blame. Had they put in place all equipment and facilities on time, things would have been different," the resident doctors said.

The medical college authorities and the Health Department claimed that they were aware of the problems of the students and were trying to make up for the deficiencies pointed out by the MCI.

Principal Dr Anil Chauhan said the college had already started the medical journal in radiology recognised by WHO, adding that tenders had been floated for the equipment.

Chauhan said they had worked on the shortcomings pointed out in the departments and had communicated the same to the authorities. He said: “MD degree courses get recognition retrospectively and this is norm in other government institutions as well."