More than half the doctors in state yet to renew their licences

More than half the doctors in the state are yet to register afresh with the Karnataka Medical Council (KMC) though just two weeks are left for them to renew their licences.

June 30 is the last date for renewal of licences, which is a must every five years. So far, only 35,000 of around 93,000 doctors have renewed their registrations.

KMC has sent out public notices asking around 93,000 doctors registered with the council before 2011 to renew their licences by updating details like qualification, address, the location and details on where they are practising.

KMC president Dr H Veerabhadrappa said, “Around 20,000 doctors have left the state and about 10,000 have left the country. We do not know about the rest.”

He said that tracking doctors would not have been difficult had they renewed their licences.

“We don’t have any documentation to say how many are practising in Karnataka. Many who came here for studies from outside the state have returned to their own states. Many senior people must maypassed away too,” said KMC vice president Dr Kanchi Pralhad V.

The list of doctors who have renewed their licences will be sent to the Indian Medical Registry by the
end of the month.

“Police keep checking drivers’ licences every day. Doctors’ licence should also be checked similarly. At least that way, they will obey to the rule,” said Dr Veerabhadrappa.

KMC is planning to digitise the system where doctors can renew their licences online.

“We have been maintaining records since 1930 and they are in tatters. Maintaining online records should solve this,” said Dr Veerabhadrappa.

Veerabhadrappa said that for transparency in selecting KMC council members, they will introduce district-wise elections with ballot papers and the cooperative department will be in charge of the election.

 “Earlier, it was a postal ballot system and doctors used to elect themselves. This is to reduce such discrepancies,” he said.