March 2017

Dear Members,

Recently we celebrated Holi festival. With this Bulletin, we are sending Colourful Wishes on behalf of Gujarat State Branch – IMA.

When this bulletin reaches to you, Board exam will be completed and School exam will be going on.
We convey our Best Wishes for the Bright Future of the Students.

International Women’s Day was celebrated on 8th March at various Local Branches of IMA. Different types of Women’s Activities were carried out to encourage the Women’s Empowerment.

Last month, we were fortunate to attend the Kutch Zonal Conference- Kutch Zimacon-2017 at Gandhidham. It was hosted by IMAGandhidham Branch. It was a unique and memorable conference and we congratulate the Team IMAGandhidham.

Our Newly launched Family Welfare Scheme GSB IMA (FWS GSB IMA) has received overwhelming response. Now it is going to start from 1st April, 2017. It will provide Financial Assistance to the deceased Doctor’s family member. It is a Brotherhood Fraternity Scheme.

We are proud to inform you that one of the oldest and largest publicized Medical Journal of Gujarat and prestigious publication of IMA Gujarat State Branch,‘Gujarat Medical Journal’, popularly known as GMJ amongst the Medical Fraternity, which is already an index journal, Indexed in IndMed, has now got indexation in ‘Index Copernicus International’ (ICI). Now our research oriented colleagues can avail the opportunity to publish their Original and ResearchArticles as well as Case Studies in GMJ and get credit of them.

In a landmark decision, following the introduction of single medical entrance all over the country, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare has now made provision for Common Counselling at the state level for Admission to Medical  Course at Under Graduate and Post Graduate levels. As per the amendment made in the relevant regulation of MCI, the designated authority at the State/UT level shall conduct the common counselling for all medical education institutions in the State whether established by the Central Government, State Government, University, Deemed University, Trust, Society, Company, Minority or Corporation.

So Now, the Counselling for All India Quota seats at Under Graduate and Post Graduate level will continue to be conducted by the Directorate General of Health Services, Ministry of Health and Welfare.

This Move would bring in Transparency in the Admission Process and curb the practice of capitation fee charged by private colleges. Further the students would not have to apply to multiple agencies for admission in the same State.

In last month, Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizer, Department of Pharmaceuticals, National Pharmaceutical Pricing Authority, Govt. of India has published NPPA Stent Notification. According to this notification, the Honorable Supreme Court of India by order directed the Government to ensure that life saving drugs do not fall out of price control, and core committee report to Govt. of India observed that there is very high incidence of Coronary Artery Disease(CAD) in India associated with high morbidity and mortality and procedure requiring. Coronary Stent Implantation is an important treatment modality for the management of Coronary Artery Disease (CAD). So NPPA has fixed the price of Bare Metal Stent to Rs.7260/- and Bio-Restorbable Vascular Scaffold (BSV). Biodegradable Stents to Rs.29600/-.

By capping this stents price, the poor and middle income group of patients will be surely benefitted at large. It is a Welcome Step by Govt. of India.

We suggest that Government should make stents freely available to every one in Govt. Hospitals and let the Jan-Aushadhi Stores sell the stents at this price. Free market forces will stabilize the prices of goods including
disposable and implants if Govt. provide incentives to Research and Development. This should be encouraged under Make in India Program.