Hyderabad: A decision by the Medical Council of India to allow the corporate sector to run medical colleges has been met with mixed reactions from doctors who say the ‘health-seeking behaviour of people’ requires more doctors but it must not be commercialised as ethical standards will be affected. While the MCI has decided to allow new medical colleges the main problem is of the shortage of teaching professors. There is an acute shortage at all teaching hospitals in the country. Dr Yadgiri Rao, senior IMA member in the state said: “Starting a medical college is easy as the infrastructure and equipment can be procured but how will the college get staff. There is a severe shortage of teaching staff in colleges these days and for the new colleges where will they get professors from?”
At the same time, as the new Bill has still not been approved, the old laws demand that the Chief Minister of the state must agree for a new teaching college. A senior doctor on condition of anonymity said: “In Telangana state, there has not been a single permission given for a new private medical college. Instead, the government here has started a medical college in Mahabubnagar which just manages to increase their strength.”
