Call for changes in medical curriculum

Kanuru, Andhra Pradesh, Mar 10: Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CCMB) founder-director and National Security Advisory Board (NSAB) member P M Bhargava has called for changes in the medical curriculum. Addressing a meeting after inaugurating the Fujinon Digital Endoscopy at the Institute of Advanced Gastroenterology of Nagarjuna Hospital here, Dr Bhargava said the new curriculum should also include medical ethics. He said medicos should have an extensive knowledge about diseases like HIV and the new methods of investigation.

It was unfortunate that the medicos were still following the old curriculum though the latest technology was being used in most of the hospitals, he said and added the Fujinon compact system would help the doctors to conduct several investigations with just one machine. The root cause of many diseases was poor hygiene and consumption of adulterated food and water. If hygiene was maintained, there would be a drop in the prevalence of 80 per cent of diseases, he remarked.

Dr Bhargava underscored the need for establishing a 'regulating body' to look after the functioning of hospitals and diagnostic centres. ''There should be a system to do research on new diseases,'' he said.

UNI