Four doctors to hold functions of J&K Medical Council, till any law enacted

SRINAGAR: The government on Wednesday said that four doctors shall be competent to discharge the function of the Jammu and Kashmir Medical Council, till any law is enacted in this behalf in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

It comes six months after the Jammu and Kashmir Medical Council was dissolved following the completion of tenure of its Chairman Dr Saleem Ur Rehman in April this year. An order in this regard has been issued by the Health and Medical Education Department (H&ME) by the directions of Lieutenant Governor Jammu and Kashmir Manoj Sinha.

“In exercise of powers conferred by Section 98 of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act, 2019, the Lieutenant Governor is pleased to specify the following officers, who shall be competent, to discharge the functions of the Jammu and Kashmir Medical Council , in terms of the National Medical Commission Act, 2019 (Act No. 30 of 2019), for regulating the practice and registration of practitioners of Medicine in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, till any law is enacted in this behalf in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir”, reads the order issued by Vivek Bharadwaj, Additional Chief Secretary, H&ME.

The name of the doctors include Dr Saleem Ur Rehman, Director General, Family Welfare and Maternity Child Health and Immunization, J&K, Dr Iqbal Sofi Medical Superintendent District Hospital Anantnag, Dr Rajeshwar Sharma Medical Superintendent Chest Disease Hospital, Government Medical College, Jammu and Dr Chanderlekha retired D.H.O Jammu.

As per the order, the authority shall hold office till any law is enacted in this behalf and shall be eligible for re-appointment. “While the authority shall appoint a registrar, who shall act as a treasurer, unless the authority appoints any other person as a treasurer. Every person so appointed shall be removable at the pleasure of the authority”, the order reads.

A person shall not be qualified for appointment as Registrar, unless he possesses any qualification described in Schedule of this notification. It shall be duty of the Registrar to open and maintain a Register to be called Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory Medical Register from time to time to revise a register and publish it in the prescribed manner, it added.

“Such register shall be deemed to be public document within the meaning of Evidence Act. The order further describes qualification for the Registrar post provided that the person is possessed of a Medical degree, diploma of certificate of any University, Medical College, or School approved by the Authority , other than those described in the Schedule”, it added.

“Or that he has been practicing medicine in the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, continuously for period of not less than nine years , without having fallen into disrepute about his personal conduct or professional capability and is sufficiently literate to carry on such practice without any probable danger to human life”, the order further said.

“Further, an appeal shall lie to the Authority against any order of the Registrar. The said appeal shall be preferred within three months of the date of the order appealed against. The authority may request the Governing Body or authorities of any University, Medical College or School included in or any desirous of being included in, the schedule; to furnish reports, returns or other information as the authority may require to enable it to judge of the efficiency of the instructions given therein in medicine and surgery and midwifery”, the order reads.

“Also to provide facilities to enable any member of the authority deputed by it in this behalf to present at the examination held by such University, College or School. If the said body or authority fails or refuses to comply with any such request, the Government may, upon the report, by authority remove the name of such University, Medical College or School from the schedule or refuse to include it in the schedule”, it added.