Some doctors’ associations have urged the State government to nominate “non-controversial” persons to the Tamil Nadu Medical Council (TNMC) and revive the practice of nominating the three directors of the Health Department as nominated members of TNMC.
Members of the Federation of Government Doctors Association (FOGDA), which comprises four associations— Democratic Tamil Nadu Government Doctors Association, Service Doctors and Post Graduates Association (SDPGA), Tamil Nadu Medical Officers Association and Government All Doctors Association— recently made a representation to the Health Minister on the nomination of members to TNMC. While seven members are elected to the TNMC, three are nominated by the State government.
“Until 2010, the directors of medical education, medical and rural health services and public health and preventive medicine were the nominated members from the State government. But it was changed in the following years and members were appointed as per the dispensation of the government in power. So, we urged the State government to revert to the earlier practice of nominating the directors as members as it will be helpful in many ways,” P. Saminathan, president of SDPGA, said.
A representative of another association said doctors were expecting reforms in the council and those appointed as the State’s representative should reflect the government’s policy decisions such as the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test.
A. Ramalingam, general secretary of SDPGA, said “non-controversial” doctors should be nominated members of TNMC. “These members should upload the dignity of doctors and the State’s rights,” he said. The demand was to bring back the old system of nomination as it was better to have the directors, deans or eminent professors in the council.
