Health Minister Ma. Subramanian has urged the Union Health Minister to “guide” the National Medical Commission (NMC) to contemplate a proposal from Tamil Nadu to begin MD in Diabetology, Nutrition and Metabolism at Madras Medical College (MMC) and situation vital orders to begin the course within the forthcoming educational 12 months.

In a letter to Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on May 4, Mr. Subramanian stated the Tamil Nadu Dr. MGR Medical University had despatched a proposal to NMC for inclusion of the speciality of ‘Diabetology, Nutrition and Metabolism’ within the first schedule of Postgraduate Medical Education Regulations, 2000. The Health and Family Welfare Department, Government of Tamil Nadu had requested NMC to contemplate the proposal favourably and situation orders to allow the college to begin the course.

The NMC, in its letter dated February 23, 2022, acknowledged that the request had not been acceded to, as this could downgrade all the prevailing programs. Following this, the Health Department filed an enchantment to the Secretary of NMC.

He requested the Union Minister to information NMC to contemplate the proposal favourably to allow the college to begin the course within the forthcoming educational 12 months as per part 28 (5) of the Guidelines of NMC for coping with appeals most popular to the Central authorities beneath NMC Act, 2019.

Noting that the prevalence of diabetes was about 10.4% in Tamil Nadu, the Minister stated within the letter, “In the past few years, both our State and Central governments have been focusing on detection and early treatment of non communicable diseases like diabetes in their health policies. Hence, starting an MD (Diabetology, Nutrition and Metabolism) course will increase the number of professional healthcare providers available in this speciality in the country.”

He additionally identified that Tamil Nadu was the primary State within the nation to begin a full-time two-year diploma in Diabetology at MMC’s Institute of Diabetology in 1986. The creation of a brand new MD course would assist in the conversion of the already current Medical Council of India-recognised diploma seats into diploma seats, thereby serving to in creating extra educating school on this specialty as per NMC norms. Such a MD course could be totally different from coaching in MD General Medicine, MD Community Medicine and DM Endocrinology, he stated.