Health Ministry rigorously working on finding suitable solutions for medical students hit by Ukraine crisis, COVID-19: Sources

By Shalini Bhardwaj
New Delhi [India], May 26 (ANI): The National Medical Commission (NMC) and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) have been holding frequent meetings to find solutions for MBBS students hit by the Ukraine crisis and COVID-19.
"NMC and the Ministry are rigorously working on finding a suitable solution for medical students who returned back in the midway of Medical courses from different countries like Ukraine, China, and the Philippines. But nothing concrete has been done as of now," a source told ANI.
"The frequent meetings have begun after the National Medical Commission ( NMC) sought the health ministry's view in light of Supreme Court's directions to the regulatory body to frame a scheme in two months allowing such MBBS students to complete clinical training in medical colleges in the country," said sources.
According to Dr Ashish Mahendra, a member, of the Dental Council of India, "If the government allows clinical training also in Indian medical colleges then also the fee structure is extremely high in comparison to the countries where they were doing their courses."
On April 29, the Supreme Court of India asked the NMC to frame a scheme within two months to complete clinical training in medical colleges here and help MBBS students from foreign universities who were facing difficulties because of the Ukraine crisis.
In the month of March this year, NMC issued a circular and said foreign medical graduates with incomplete internships due to Pandemic Covid19 and the war-like situation can complete their internship after clearing FMGE.
The circular read, "It has further been observed that there are also some Foreign Medical Graduates with incomplete internship due to such compelling situation which is beyond their control, such as COVID19 pandemic and war etc.
"Considering the agony and stress faced by these foreign medical graduates, their application to complete the remaining part of the internship in India is considered eligible. Accordingly, the same may be processed by State Medical Councils provided that the candidates must have cleared FMGE before applying for completion of internship in India," added the circular. (ANI)