Mamata Banerjee Proposes Medicine Diploma Course, Cites Doctor 'Shortfall'
NDTV
She asked state health secretary N S Nigam to look into the legal aspects of starting a such a course to train more doctors for primary healthcare units.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday proposed the introduction of a diploma course in medicine, aiming at combating a "shortfall" of doctors in hospitals in the state.
She asked state health secretary N S Nigam to look into the legal aspects of starting a such a course to train more doctors for primary healthcare units.
"You (Nigam) please find out whether we can start a diploma course for doctors, just like we have for engineers. Several boys and girls will get the opportunity to enroll for the medical course," Ms Banerjee said at a review meeting of 'Utkarsh Bangla' held at the state secretariat here.
The chief minister, who is also the health minister, said the regular MBBS course takes at least five years for one to be a medical graduate, and asserted that the diploma course "would address the shortfall of doctors".