West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has proposed a diploma course for doctors to address the shortage of medical professionals in hospitals. The course, similar to engineering diplomas, will allow more students to study medicine and become diploma doctors who can cover primary health care centers.
The CM has directed Health Secretary Narayan Swarup Nigam to explore the feasibility of such a program. Currently, students completing a regular MBBS course must study further to become junior doctors.
The introduction of diploma doctors can help meet the growing demand for medical professionals in the state. Mamata also emphasized the need to address the shortage of nurses and asked officials to consider opening 100 more nursing training institutes. A committee will be formed to determine the legal aspects of the diploma course.
Meanwhile, the number of patients keeps increasing. So, by introducing diplomas, the shortage in primary health centers can be met by hiring such diploma holders as doctors, she added. “The doctors now have to complete their five-year curriculum for a regular MBBS course. They have to study again and then join as junior doctors.
There has been an increase in the number of seats, hospitals, and patients. If in parallel, there are diploma doctors to cover the primary health centers, it will give a good outcome. This will cater to the growing demand for doctors and population,” Mamata asked Health Secretary N S Nigam as per ANI.
