New Modules To Heal

Why India’s abysmal doctor-population ratio requires innovative solutions

- Swadeep Srivastava

ON 29 DECEMBER 2017, the National Medical Commission Bill 2017, was introduced in Parliament to replace the Medical Council of India (MCI), India’s current medical education regulator, with a new body. One of the aims of the Bill is to allow those practising homoeopathic and ayurvedic forms of medicine to be able to practice allopathy, upon clearing a bridge course. According to Clause 49 of the Bill, a joint sitting of the Central Council of Indian Medicine, the Central Council of Homoeopathy and the National Medical Commission will be held at least once a year in order “to enhance the interface between homoeopathy, Indian systems of medicine and modern systems of medicine”.

This move by the government has, naturally, ruffled many feathers. It even resulted in a nationwide strike by doctors. India with its 1.30 billion population has a healthcare system that is heavily stretched in terms of infrastructure and manpower. To bridge this chasm between demand and supply, there is clearly a need for out-of-the-box and innovative solutions.