State delays forming Medical Council panel

Even though elections of Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) were conducted three months back, crucial posts in this medical body are still vacant due to a delay on the part of the state government. MMC is an 18-member quasi- judicial body that governs the conduct of allopathic doctors in the state. The government is the final decision-making authority.

MMC elections were held in December 2016 across the state, where resident doctors from several medical colleges elected nine of the 18 members of the MMC panel. As per rules, the remaining nine members are nominated by the government; however, it is alleged that the government is purposely delaying naming the nine members.

An MMC senior official said, “Despite the elections the government has failed to notify the nine members, of which four are from Director of Medical Radiology (DMR), Department of Health Services (DHS) and Directorate of Medical Education & Research (DMER).”

The official said MMC is currently being administered by its Registrar who holds additional charge of

MMC is an 18-member quasi- judicial body that governs the conduct of allopathic doctors in the state. The government is the final decisionmaking authority in this regard

Maharashtra Council of Indian Medicine (MCIM).

Dr Dilip Wange, registrar, MMC, said, “I am facing difficulties because of the additional work of looking of administration of MMC. The body cannot be fully functional unless all members are not nominated.”

The delay in finalising the new MMC panel has resulted in a backlog of nearly 774 cases of medical negligence. This is because the former MMC panel dissolved was in August 2016 and no new panel is formed yet.

Dr. Shivkumar Utare, member of Indian Medical Association (IMA) said, “Every month more than 150 cases are registered with the MMC and since the panel was disposed the work of MMC was taken over by the administration.”