Punjab Medical Council to get tough on unethical practices

Ludhiana, July 26, 2014: Meeting of the general body of the Punjab Medical Council was held at Punjab Bhawan Chandigarh under the Chairmanship of its new president Dr G S Grewal. Vinni Mahajan, Principal Secretary Health government of Punjab who was the chief guest at the meeting offered all cooperation to the PMC from the health department and expected the medical profession to evolve a self regulatory mechanism through its various bodies as per the present day needs of the society. Dr S S Gill – Vice Chancellor Baba Farid University of Medical Sciences ensured of all coordination between the council and the university in ensuring healthy medical practices. Meeting took a detailed stock of the issues related to the medical profession in the state and felt that there is lack of a detailed database of the doctors practicing in the state. There is also no proper information of the number of small and big nursing homes and clinics. The council will collect a complete data through an online registration system which will be mandatory for all the doctors of the modern medicine working in the state both in government and private sector. Notice in this regard will soon be issued with the help of the state health department. The council will with in a period of three months go completely online for the purpose of registration, obtaining certificates of various types and filing suggestions and complaints. Complete transparency will be maintained in all these affairs. Council will also ensure ethical medical services to the people of Punjab and for this devise methods to check quackery. A procedure for advertising the new upcoming medical facilities will be laid down. Patients would be the prime priority and for this the council will ensure implementation of the existing rules number 6.4.1 and 6.4.2 in the code of medical ethics of the PMC prohibiting  any considerations involved in referring, recommending or procuring of any patient for medical, surgical and other treatment.

Dr G S Grewal said that whereas the genuine grievances of the patients would be duly entertained the council will evolve a mechanism as per the law to take strict action against the people filing false complaints against the doctors. The complaints filed only by the patient or her/his close relations will be entertained. Council will also see to it that doctors practice in only the same system as they have been trained and registered. For this the council will take up the matter with other medical councils as well. It will also be ensured that the medical facility is run only by an authorised competent person.

Dr Tejbir Singh - Registrar of the council assured of proper functioning of the council using the modern technology. Dr Arun Mitra introduced all the members to the principal secretary health. Dr Gurmej Singh Gill Vice President gave vote of thanks and offered full cooperation to the health department. Others who attended the meeting include Dr Balcharanjit Singh Bhatia, Dr Kulwant Singh, Dr O P S Kande, Dr Ram Charan Garg, Dr Sunil Kumar Katiyal, Dr Vijay Kumar, Dr Yogeshwar Sood, Dr Sushil Kumar Sehgal, Dr Vinod Sood, Dr Ramnath Bhardwaj President IMA Punjab, Dr Manoj Kumar Sobti and Dr Baljit Singh on behalf of the director health services.