Counterviews

The gross irregularities & illegalities adopted by the government of West Bengal, Medical Council Of India & KPC Medical College & Hospital (WB), regarding the approval and admission process of the said institution:-

• As per Supreme Court Directive (P. A. Inamdar judgment, 2005), 2 permanent committees were not formed by the State Govt. for Admission Monitoring & Fee Fixation of private un-aided professional colleges; even though there are more than 150 such colleges (Engineering, BBA/BCA, Nursing, Dental etc.) are working in WB.
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• As per Graduate Medical Education (Amendment) Regulations, 2004, the time schedule for different stages of admission process for first MBBS course was clearly violated. For example, admission test to be taken within the month of May, results to be declared by 15th June, first round of counseling to be over by 25th July, classes to be started by 1st August. MCI has approved the college on 10th August, 2008; having this prior knowledge and knowing that the college won't be able to adhere to the time schedule.
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• MCI approval was given to the institution even if it didn't follow the guideline; e.g., the number of medical & non-medical stuffs to be maintained in any department etc.
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• The admission procedure in this college didn't pass the triple test, directed by the Honorable Supreme Court; i.e., fairness, transparency & non-exploitativeness. (Like- merit list was alphabetical; names were added & removed from the merit list, once it was finalized & published and many more ...).
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• The fees fixed by the college doesn't reflect anywhere to be non-profitable and having maximum 15% reasonable surplus (for further development of the college). Per student in management quota (51.33% of total seats), 22 lakhs are being taken as one-time fee for 5.5 years.
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• For management quota, not only 22 lakh is the only thing one needs to submit. But along with that, 15-20 lakhs should be transmitted under the table, as capitation fee.
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• For NRI quota, fees are not fixed and published yet ... but only sky could be the limit for the same.

[leaflet 1 , leaflet 2]

News References

• The Telegraph, 11 August, 2008
• The Statesman, 11 August, 2008
• Times of India, 11 August, 2008
• অানন্দবাজার পত্রিকা (Anandabazar Patrika), 11 Ausgust, 2008
• The Hindu, 6 August, 2008

The major public health problem in India-Tuberculosis and WB govt move : Is it justified?

Here are a few bare facts closely related to KPC medical college which replaced KS Roy TB Hospital in Jadavpur, having 750 beds, well-equipped to fight TB and provide specialized treatment to TB patients

As per data published by (1) WHO; (2) Central Tuberculosis Division (CTD), Depart. Of Health & FW, GOI and (3) State TB Cell, Depart. Of Health & FW, GOWB, we came to know that :

TB is the major public health problem in India

• TB, a killer disease, kills an Indian in every one and half minute.
• Globally 8.8 million population develops TB every year.
• In India, 1.8 million develops TB & 0.4 million dies / year
• India is the TB capital of the world as it accounts 1/5 global incidence of TB.
• TB kills more adults in India than any other infectious disease.

TB: Extent of problem

• In India, > 40% population is infected with TB bacilli.
• 15 to 60 years age group is mostly affected
• Kills more women than all causes of maternal mortality and > 0.1 million women are rejected from their families / year.
• An untreated sputum smear positive case infects 10 – 15 persons / year.

TB: newer threats

• Increased population mobility, increased exposure, increased number of TB.
• Increased poverty, unemployment, eviction etc. vis-à-vis TB. All are co-factors of TB.
• Not reached or failure of govt. programme (RNTCP or Revised National Tuberculosis Control Programme); improper categorization and improper DOT (Directly Observed Treatment); incomplete treatment or increasing default etc. causing MDR (Multiple Drugs Resistant) TB and XDR (unknown) TB.
• HIV epidemic. HIV increases a person’s susceptibility to TB infection about 10 times. Again most of the Indian HIV / AIDS cases usually manifest TB.

Now we can look into the scenario of Kolkata. As per recent publication of CTD and STC we have found that in 2nd quarter ’08 report (April to June’08) Kolkata has performed very badly in all indicators of RNTCP, set by CTD and STC:

• Three months sputum conversion rate was only 84%. It should be >90%.
• Cure rate and success rate were only 81%. Cure rate should be >85%.
• Massive number of re-treatment cases (chronic, failure etc. which will be turned to MDR TB and which need prolong hospitalized special care with second line anti-tubercular drugs). Here 30% out of total smear +ve cases.
• Massive number of paediatric TB cases (11%).
• High initial defaulter rate (< 11 %). It should be within 8%.

Therefore we need a comprehensive system to control TB problems including some specialized hospitals for admission and management of failure, chronic, complicated cases. In this back drop when situation demands renovation, up-gradation and modernization of ancient KS Roy TB hospital and its services to TB patients, state government led by Budhhadev Bhattacharya, whose uncle poet Sukanta was died in TB and was admitted in this hospital; KMC led by Bikash Battacharya, who himself suffered from TB, conspired to sell the prime land to promoters for profit making and to a NRI-big capital to form a capitation fee based private Medical College. This hospital has been systematically undermined. Last year a few crores rupees drug scam surfaced. However it is known what measures were taken by govt. and health depart? But why are they so pro-active for rich NRI Kali Pada Choudhury’s profit making project? Let us investigate and oppose strongly.