Medical councils, boards in the state face probe

In a major move, the Bihar health department has decided to investigate the functioning of various councils and boards in the state, which are responsible for registering graduates of different streams and providing them permission to practice. Binod Dubey reports.

In a major move, the Bihar health department has decided to investigate the functioning of various councils and boards in the state, which are responsible for registering graduates of different streams and providing them permission to practice.

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"We have received large scale complaints against many such bodies including that of Bihar Council of Medical Registration, Bihar State Dental Council and other councils and boards related to pharmacy, nursing and indigenous systems of medicine, and decided to probe their functioning," health minister Ashwini Kumar Choubey told HT.

The complaints include harassing of graduates who come for registration and attempting to extort money from them on flimsy grounds. As per the records, some of the candidates were so harassed and tortured by the councils of the Ayurvedic, homeopathic and pharmacy that they had to approach the court for redressal, he said adding that in most of the cases, the complaints involved registrars.

Choubey said several such institutions were devoid of democratic ethos and there was hardly any election for years to appoint their members.

"I have also come to know that they openly violate government rules pertaining to the appointment of their functionaries," he added. "Recently, I have initiated action against the registrar of the state homeopathic board for violating government guidelines. Functionaries of other councils may face similar action," he said.

Quoting an example of blatant violation of the state rules, Choubey said despite a gazette notification, the Bihar Medical Council failed to renew the registration of its members.

Ironically, the notification on this count had been issued following recommendation by the council itself.

"I will soon set up a high level committee to investigate their operations and see to it that they become accountable to the government," he said.