Dr Devi Shetty, Chairman and Founder, Narayana Health, was one of the members of the first Board of Governors set up by the Union government in 2010 to run the Medical Council of India after dismantling the official MCI structure through an ordinance. In an interview with Reshma Ravishanker of Deccan Herald, he spoke on the recent recommendations of the Parliamentary Standing Committee.
Excerpts:
Why has the previous attempt to clean up the MCI (by creating the National Commission for Human Resources for Health- NCHRH) failed?
If any transformation of these statutory bodies are to happen, there has to be a political will from all political parties. A lack of it was one of the main reasons why changes did not happen.
Why so many states and politicians opposed the NCHRH proposal of the UPA government? Is it because many politicians are active in the cash rich medical education sector?
Medical education today is definitely dominated by the private sector and some politicians have relationships with political colleges. However, parents are desperate to get their children into a medical college and then into a PG course. They are willing to pay whatever is the capitation fee.
A new Parliamentary Standing Committee report has once again highlighted the issue of corruption in MCI. But such issues were raised repeatedly in the past in Parliament with little change on the ground. Who are to be blamed?
This is one of the most factually correct documents ever produced in the area of medical education. I hope there is a political will to bring about a change. When it comes to reforms in medical education, all political parties are the same. There is nothing to choose between them.
Arrest of former MCI president Ketan Desai by CBI is cited as a glaring example of corruption in MCI, but he still controls MCI remotely. Why don’t other clean doctors get an opportunity to run the Council?
The MCI is an elected body and lot of doctors who are successful in their career do not want to get into electoral politics. If the MCI becomes like a national board, made of bodies selected by the government, then many better doctors will join.
Did the MCI take any step to stop the capitation fee practice? If yes, why it didn't work?
I do not think either the MCI or the government can control corruption in medical education as long as there is shortage. The only way you will address corruption is by creating surplus seats. Tomorrow you scrap the MCI and not increase seats in the right branches, that body will also becomes equally corrupt.
Private medical colleges have mushroomed in the last two decades. Are they properly regulated?
The quality of medical education today is not up to the expectation. Partly it is the regulation around medical education which is responsible. If there are adequate number of medical colleges, students will not go to the colleges that are not run well. Today, there are only few people left. So, irrespective of what quality of medical education you offer, there are people waiting there to grab a seat. So, what is the incentive for the college to improve the quality of education? As long as you have a licence to run a college, students are ready to join.
Has the MCI failed to improve the quality of medical education?
I really do not blame the MCI. I blame the successive governments. If the government wants to do it, they can. They can create a body on lines of the National Board and the government can decide who will be the president and secretary. Keep it for a term. It can be done in no time.
The committee recommends formation of an accreditation body. What will be the role of this body?
The government today runs the National Board of Accreditation. There is a standing example there. They have been functioning for so long without any allegations of fraud. Follow the same model.
Published 19 March 2016, 18:18 IST