Credit points for doctors working with Covid patients

To attract more doctors to participate in the treatment of Covid-19 patients, the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) has decided to award credit points to those engaged

To attract more doctors to participate in the treatment of Covid-19 patients, the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) has decided to award credit points to those engaged in the frontline work, to help them renew their medical licence.

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Every five years, doctors need to renew their licences to practice. As per the norms, they need to earn 30 credit points by attending conferences and seminars. Those who fail to score the 30 points are not eligible to renew their licence and cannot practice medicine.

“Registered medical practitioners are at the forefront of the war against the 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,” reads the MMC circular issued on April 29.

To encourage doctors to actively participate in the struggle against Sars-CoV-2, the virus that causes Covid-19, the MMC will grant two credit points per day up to a maximum of 10, to doctors. They have divided the doctors into three categories — those serving in government hospitals or institutions; doctors working in private hospitals for treatment of Covid patients, and medical practitioners participating in fever, community, mobile clinics primarily for the diagnosis of patients.

“By serving the nation during the time of the pandemic, doctors can gain the points which will help them to renew their medical licences. This is a form of a reward for the Covid frontliners. We have already extended the certificate renewal time for doctors by three months,” said Dr Shivkumar Utture, president of MMC.

The medical council said it has taken this decision to encourage doctors to come forward for the treatment of Covid patients. Doctors with specialisation in forensic science, psychiatry, community medicine, orthopaedics among others, may not be directly involved in the treatment of Covid patients but can help in screening patients and providing basic care to asymptomatic patients at Covid care centres. Doctors can claim their Covid certificate from deans, district collectors, corporation health officers, or civil surgeons.