Bhubaneswar: BJD’s Kendrapara MP Baijayant Panda during the question hour of Lok Sabha yesterday sought more number of medical colleges for Odisha to fill up doctor vacancies. Maintaining that shortage of doctors is a manmade problem, Baijayant said that the Medical Council of India (MCI) is responsible for the situation which is resulting in corrupt practices.
Citing an example from Kendrapara district, Baijayant highlighted that how incompetent people from neighbouring countries are coming and providing medical services, which is disconcerting.
While the government is looking at Ayurveda (AYUSH) doctors as an alternative to fill vacancies, Baijayant flagged concerns saying that Ayurveda is a different approach to treatment. Ayurveda is mostly used as a preventive measure and an Ayurveda doctor cannot administer Allopathy treatment, he added.
Hence, more and more number of medical colleges is a permanent solution to doctor shortage, said Baijayant while welcoming the restructuring of MCI.
In response to Baijayant, the concerned minister said the problem highlighted is definitely concerning and required steps will be taken in this regard.