Doctors of Indian origin who are settled aboard may soon be allowed to undertake volutary health services in India. To facilitate these doctors work in India, the Union health ministry is considering to amend the Indian Medical Council (IMC) Act to expand the definition of citizen of India.
The existing rules do not allow Overseas Indians to practise in India without registration or appearing for the screening test. To facilitate these doctors undertake services here, “it is necessary to include overseas citizens of India in the definition of citizen of India so that they can work here freely-without getting registered or appearing for the screening test,” a senior health ministry official said.
The health ministry swung into this direction after a large number of doctors at the recent Pravasi Bharatiya Divas expressed their willingness to undertake voluntary services to improve health care system in India.
It may be noted that the health ministry has already constituted a three-member cell, headed by joint secretary S.K. Rao, which acts as a nodal point to facilitate the future course of action.
“There were lot of doctors wanting to work in India-some even wanted to adopt their native villages. The cell has been constituted to interact with these overseas doctors. We have received a good response so far. We will see how to proceed to help them work here,” said P.K. Pradhan, Union health secretary.
The ministry is also trying to develop a portal to act as a registry where intending experts could indicate the nature of services to be rendered as well as the choice of places that they would like to work in so that future logistics could be worked out.
While, the health ministry has inserted amendments to allow such practitioners work in India for stipulated time in the newly-proposed National Council of Human Resources in Health (NCHRH) draft bill.
“Since the NCHRH bill will take time to fructify. It is likely that the health ministry may come with an ordinance for this purpose,” added another official.