Latest news with #DGHS
Time of India
a day ago
- Health
- Time of India
Delhi government entrusts doctors' registration to DGHS
New Delhi: The Delhi government has assigned the responsibility of doctors' registration in the national capital to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), Health Minister Pankaj Singh said on Wednesday. The move comes following the dissolution of the Delhi Medical Council (DMC). "In light of the Lieutenant Governor's decision to dissolve the DMC, we have transferred its powers to the DGHS, which will now act as the registrar for doctors in Delhi," Singh said. Lt Governor V K Saxena approved the proposal for the dissolution of the DMC after allegations of irregularities. He has also directed the health department to reconstitute the DMC within two months. Singh said, "Any irregularities or corruption within the DMC -- whether procedural or financial -- will also be thoroughly investigated." Officials from the health department had sent a proposal to Saxena seeking control of the body under Section 29 of the DMC Act, 1997. The DMC is a statutory body responsible for regulating the practice of medicine in the national capital and ensuring that private doctors follow ethics. Meanwhile, speaking on the issue of counterfeit cancer medicines , the minister said the government has gone into alert mode after receiving complaints about fake drugs circulating in the market. "160 samples of cancer medicines were collected randomly from across the city and sent for lab testing," the minister told PTI. "We have collected samples from 160 locations. The test results are expected in three to four days. If any sample is found to be fake, strict legal action will be taken," he said. He urged cancer patients in Delhi, "Please ensure you are buying from genuine sources. If you suspect any fake or duplicate medicines, report them to us immediately - we will take strong action against those involved."
Indian Express
a day ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
When will disabled NEET aspirants get their SC-sanctioned rights?
Written by Satendra Singh A NEET aspirant with a disability has been messaging me continually since March. Her only question: 'When will the National Medical Commission (NMC) issue revised disability guidelines for MBBS and MD/MS, as per the Supreme Court's directions?' On 14 June 2025, the NEET-UG results were declared. Over 750 students with disabilities from diverse communities — General, OBC, SC, ST, and EWS — have qualified. However, their joy is short-lived. The silence of the NMC and the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has left them paralysed by uncertainty. Which guidelines will apply? Have more disability assessment centres been designated? Which colleges can they safely choose? The promised web portal listing accessibility-compliant colleges — as ordered by the apex court — is still absent. This is not merely a bureaucratic delay. It seems to be a defiance of the Supreme Court's orders, a betrayal of India's constitutional promise of equality, and perhaps even contempt of court. In April 2022, the Delhi High Court in Neha Pudil vs NMC directed that the discriminatory disability guidelines be revised within six months. Two years later, that direction remains unimplemented. Then in October 2024, the Supreme Court in Omkar Ramchandra Gond vs UOI mandated the NMC to revise its guidelines before the NEET 2025 brochure was published and to establish an Appellate Medical Body. The brochure was released, but the guidelines and the body were not. In the same month, in another landmark judgment — Om Rathod vs DGHS — the apex court went further, ordering the establishment of enabling units for reasonable accommodations, accessibility compliance details on the NEET portal, functional support, including assistive technology, modified pedagogy, and trained staff. None of these directives has been followed. By November 2024, the situation was so dire that the Supreme Court had to summon the DGHS in Anmol vs UOI. Only after the embarrassment of public scrutiny did Anmol receive his rightful MBBS seat. Still, the DGHS has ignored directions to establish Disability Assessment Boards (DABs) in every state and to include doctors with disabilities in these boards, as well as provide them with training on disability justice and ableism. Following the SC's lead, the Punjab and Haryana High Court in January also ordered the formation of an Appellate Board. The NMC ignored that, too. In February 2025, the apex court finally struck down the infamous 'both hands intact' clause as ableist and left scope for further compliance review. But in March, the Suyash Patil case exposed the NMC's indifference again: the student lost an entire academic year due to a clerical lapse in DAB records. The NMC's solution? Accommodate next year. Even when the NMC did form a committee, it stuffed it with the same architects of the old discriminatory policy. Tokenism ruled: just one doctor with a disability, from an institution outside the NMC's purview, with no undergraduate programme. Expectedly, this committee missed its 15 April deadline to publish the revised guidelines. Then came May, and the Kabir Paharia case. The Supreme Court gave relief only one day before NEET 2025. Another student was rescued. Another year lost. Another trauma inflicted. As of today, both the NMC and DGHS have violated their affidavit in the Anmol matter, which had promised to release guidelines by 15 April 2025. NEET 2025 results are out. But disabled aspirants are frozen in limbo, deprived of the ability to plan or hope. Worse, the very committee revising the guidelines includes no medical student with a disability. This is a violation not just of principles of participatory justice, but also of international norms. The World Federation for Medical Education — to which NMC is affiliated — mandates in its Basic Medical Standards (2020) under Clauses 4 and 8 that students must be involved in governance. What we are witnessing is institutionalised impunity. The NMC and DGHS have now routinely defied not just one, but multiple High Court and Supreme Court directives. Why then has no contempt proceeding been initiated? Justice delayed is not only justice denied — it becomes injustice institutionalised. Every day of inaction from the NMC and DGHS is a day of stolen dreams, heightened anxiety, and unconstitutional discrimination against India's most marginalised NEET qualifiers. It is now imperative that the Supreme Court's vacation bench takes suo motu cognisance of this deliberate, systemic, and continuing contempt — and that real accountability, not symbolic compliance, is finally enforced. The writer teaches at the University College of Medical Sciences, Delhi, and is a disability rights activist. Views are personal
Time of India
2 days ago
- Health
- Time of India
LG orders dissolution of Delhi Medical Council over ‘irregularities'
New Delhi: Lieutenant governor VK Saxena on Tuesday ordered the dissolution of Delhi Medical Council (DMC), citing alleged misuse of the authority and irregularities. He directed the health department to initiate steps for a new council. The director general health services (DGHS) is expected to take over the registrar's responsibilities temporarily. Former DMC president Dr Arun Gupta supported the decision, noting that most council activities had ceased due to the registrar's absence. The council's term was to end soon. Gupta mentioned that the only allegation against the council concerned exceeding its authority regarding the registrar's extension. He noted the medical community's surprise, particularly as the matter is still before the high court. The LG's order said: "I perused the proposal regarding dissolution of DMC for a specified period under Section 29 of the DMC Act, 1997. It is observed that the health department rightly pointed out the irregularity wherein the DMC unilaterally extended the retirement age of the registrar from 60 to 65 years without govt approval and further extended his term by one year with effect from Dec 1, 2024." The order noted, "Additionally, in response to the showcause notice, dated Feb 6, 2025, the DMC merely stated that Dr Tyagi resigned with immediate effect but did not address the unauthorised extension, which resulted in Dr Tyagi serving over five years beyond the normal retirement age." Council executive member Dr Ashwini Dalmiya stated that the dissolution was based on the registrar's extension, which was implemented by the previous council (2014-2019) and communicated to Delhi govt in 2019. The current council granted a one-year extension under the DMC Act section 36, which Delhi govt supported in their high court affidavit. He questioned govt's decision, noting the absence of evidence for financial irregularities and the pending court decision on Dr Tyagi's extension. The order also stated that two ex-officio members of DMC may continue in the council and DGHS may be assigned the responsibilities of Registrar for the intervening period. DMC elected member Dr Harish Gupta asked govt to establish a board of experienced individuals to manage DMC and hold elections by Oct. He called for an investigation into the misconduct.
The Star
4 days ago
- Health
- The Star
Bangladesh records 25 new COVID-19 cases, 1 more death
DHAKA, June 16 (Xinhua) -- Bangladesh recorded 25 new COVID-19 cases over the past 24 hours, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) said Monday. The statistics also showed a new death case. Official data showed that 231 samples were tested on Monday throughout Bangladesh, and the positivity rate stood at 10.82 percent.
Time of India
11-06-2025
- Health
- Time of India
TN seeks retention of in-service quota for super-specialty in Round 2
Chennai: Health Minister Ma Subramanian sought the intervention of Union health minister J P Nadda to ensure that all 50% of seats earmarked for in-service candidates under the state quota are retained and made available in Round 2 of state-level NEET super-specialty counselling. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The first round of counselling for admission to super-specialty courses such as cardiology, nephrology, neurology, urology, cardiac, and vascular surgery, conducted by the medical counselling committee under the directorate general of health services (DGHS), ended on May 27. As per the Supreme Court order, Tamil Nadu reserved 50% of seats in these courses in govt medical colleges of the state exclusively for govt doctors (in-service candidates). While only 30% of candidates took the seats allotted to them, more than 70% of the 215 seats were vacant, officials said. While the state does not have adequate candiates qualified to join the course, officials said the Centre must consider in-service candidates if and when they reduce percentile scores in the subsequent rounds. On May 29, the state selection committee formally requested DGHS to indicate the dates for the second round of counselling to allow the upgradation of seats for in-service candidates. "However, it has come to our notice that the process of surrendering the unfilled in-service seats to the All-India Quota is being considered, without conducting the mandatory second round of counselling at the state level. Such a move would effectively deprive our in-service candidates of their rightful opportunity to upgrade or participate in further counselling and would be contrary to the spirit and intent of the Supreme Court's order," Subramanian wrote. He urged Nadda's intervention to ensure that all 50% of seats earmarked for in-service candidates under the state quota are retained and made available in Round 2 of counselling.
