E-Paper
District residency programme for medical students remains a non-starter in Chandigarh
The MoHFW, through a gazette dated September 16, 2020, had made it mandatory for medical postgraduate students to undergo posting at a district hospital for three months from the 2021 batch onwards
Three years after the Union ministry of health and family welfare (MoHFW) officially notified the District Residency Programme for students pursuing MD or MS in all state-run medical colleges or institutions in the country, the UT administration has still not launched the programme in Chandigarh.
The MoHFW, through a gazette dated September 16, 2020, had made it mandatory for medical postgraduate students to undergo posting at a district hospital for three months from the 2021 batch onwards.
While the programme has been implemented in most states and UTs since January 2023, the UT administration has yet to commence its implementation, which would make it mandatory for MD/MS students at Government Medical College Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32, to serve at the city’s civil hospitals.
UT health secretary Yashpal Garg said they will review with the officers concerned to check the reasons behind the delay in the implementation of the programme.
Dr Suman Singh, director of health and services, UT, said the process was underway and they had also sent a letter to GMCH regarding this: “The programme is advantageous for both PG doctors and the civil hospitals, offering exposure to the former and providing valuable assistance to the latter.”
According to Dr Jasbinder Kaur, the director-principal, GMCH, Sector 32, a meeting was held a month ago regarding the programme. “We are currently awaiting directions and will proceed with implementation once the necessary clearances are obtained. The Union ministry has also sent a review letter asking the status of the programme,” she said.
The purpose of the programme is to expose the postgraduate students to the district health system and involve them in health care services being provided at the district hospitals for learning while serving.
Under this programme, it is critical for PG residents to gain satisfying experience both professionally and personally during their residential rotation to the district hospital health system. In this regard, the department of health and medical education and the district health authorities have an important role to ensure accommodation, transport, security, and grievance redressal for the PG residents from time to time.
