The Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC) has suspended licenses of 14 speciality doctors who were found to be unqualified after investigation, in the process of tracking doctors with fraudulent degrees.

Out of these suspended 14 doctors, four are from Pune district and had submitted fake postgraduate (PG) certificates from the College of Physicians and Surgeons (CPS). The officials said that the decision was taken during the recent executive committee meeting.

MMC had earlier issued notices to these medical practitioners, from different parts of the state and practicing as PG doctors, in spite of not having valid qualifications. The notices were issued after discrepancies were found in the record and during investigation, these doctors confessed that they had failed the examination conducted by CPS but had managed to obtain passing certificates. Officials said that they were shocked to hear that everything happened within the premises of CPS and have written to the government to take over the institute and do the necessary changes.

Dr Dilip Sarda, executive committee member of MMC, said that all the 14 specialized doctors admitted that they submitted fake documents. Out of these 14 doctors, 4 doctors are from Pune and had submitted fake diploma in gynaecology and obstetrics, and diploma in medical radiology and electrology. Their licenses have been suspended for one year. The decision was taken during the recent executive committee members meeting and the doctors are registered with MMC as specialized doctors in the year 2015. They are still examining the old records of CPS and the council.

The MMC has written to the government, requesting it to make changes in the institute and create a four-point programme. As per the recommendations, MMC has asked the CPS faculty to be changed and teachers from Maharashtra University of Health Science (MUHS) to be appointed there. The exams were conducted by the CPS examiners, hence MMC has asked that they to be replaced by staff from MUHS as they are experienced examiners. The inspection of CPS has to be done by member of MUHS and Medical Council of India (MCI), as done in other medical colleges.

Over the last couple of years, MMC has been continually taking action against doctors with fake certificates. MMC have already completed the inspection for 2017 and 2016 and are looking into records from 2014. Up to now, they have taken action against as many as 150 such doctors, according to officials.

Dr Shivkumar Utture, president, MMC, said that the suspension decision was taken by the executive committee after finding discrepancies in the record and the doctors have accepted the charges. They had also asked the government to make changes and take over the institute as it will help MMC to give quality education to the students at an affordable price. It is a 100-year-old institute and few changes will certainly help young upcoming doctors. He also added further that the current fees for the courses are very high so students from rural areas cannot afford it. The main objective of the institute is to take as many students as possible from rural parts of the state for several diploma courses and such changes will positively bring more specialized doctors to rural parts of the state.

Source: ET Healthworld