E-Paper
MMC to award doctors working with Covid-19 patients credit points to renew licence
Every five years, doctors need to renew their licences to practice. As per norms, doctors need to earn 30 credit points over a period of five years by attending conferences and seminars. Those who fail to score the 30 points are not eligible to renew their licence. Thus, they get disqualified from medical practice.
To encourage more doctors to participate in the treatment of Covid-19 patients, the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) will award credit points to doctors to help them renew their medical licence.
Every five years, doctors need to renew their licences to practice. As per norms, doctors need to earn 30 credit points over a period of five years by attending conferences and seminars. Those who fail to score the 30 points are not eligible to renew their licence. Thus, they get disqualified from medical practice.
“Registered medical practitioners are at the forefront of the war against coronavirus and not only are they facing the daunting task of handling patients, they are also fighting to keep their own worries and emotional stress at bay. They are selfless, hardworking and diligent individuals who save lives on a daily basis. The noble profession of a doctor takes some serious dedication and sacrifice,” reads the circular of MMC issued on April 29.
To encourage doctors to actively participate in the struggle against Sars-CoV-2 — the virus that causes Covid-19, MMC will grant two credit points per day up to a maximum of 10 to doctors. They have divided the doctors into three types—- those who are serving in government hospitals or institutions, doctors working in private hospitals for the treatment of Covid-19 patients and medical practitioners who are participating in fever, community, mobile clinics primarily for the diagnosis of patients.
According to MMC, they have taken the decision to encourage doctors to come forward for the treatment of Covid-19 patients. Doctors with specialisation in forensic science, psychiatry, community medicine, orthopaedics among others may not be directly involved in the treatment of Covid-19 patients but can help in screening patients and providing basic care to asymptomatic patients in Covid Care Centres.
“By serving the nation during the time of the pandemic, doctors can gain points which will help them to renew their medical licences. This is a form of a reward for the Covid-19 frontliners. We have already extended the certificate renewal time of the doctors by three months,” Dr Shivkumar Utture, president of MMC said.
The doctors can claim the Covid certificate from deans, district collectors, corporation health officers or civil surgeons.
