Medical Colleges To Have MDR-TB Centres To Acquire Recognition

Mumbai, 22 April 2018: In order to prevent tuberculosis deaths and reduce rising cases of multi-drug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) in the country, the government has issued a mandate to the Medical Council of India (MCI). It has asked the MCI to mandate MDRTB centres while recognising private and government medical colleges.

Subsequently, the MCI has decided that private and government medical colleges will be recognised only if they have (MDR)-TB centres. This decision has been communicated to the health ministry and TB control programme officers. The order has been issued to all the state governments and state health departments. MDR-TB is a form of tuberculosis infection caused by bacteria that are resistant to treatment with at least two of the most powerful first-line anti-TB medications.

Dr Sanjeev Kamble, director of health services, said, “In India, there is a high prevalence of tuberculosis, and the number of MDR-TB patients is rising at an alarming rate. This is a major boost to end TB in the country. According to the order, all government medical colleges will have to set up 10 beds for male and female patients.”

Dr Suchitra Nagre, trustee and director of Maharashtra Institute of Medical Education and Research, added, “There are 21 medical departments in a college and tuberculosis department is one of them. To start any medical college, there already is a provision to have at least 10 beds for TB patients. Earlier it was mandatory that the college has to be started before the hospital. Later on, MCI instructed to start 300-bed hospital and then a medical college.” Pune Mirror