State Health Minister to meet Union Health Minister

Chennai, July 3 (UNI) Tamil Nadu Health Minister K K S S R Ramachandran will leave for New Delhi tomorrow to meet Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss to seek his intervention for securing recognition for three government medical colleges that were withheld by the Medical Council of India (MCI).

Talking to reporters here today, he said after getting reports in this regard, the state government had explained the position to the MCI, which had cited some technical flaws. The state had also written to the MCI on June 28 that the flaws would be rectified in the three colleges at Vellore, Theni and Kanniyakumari districts.

The Minister said he along with the Health Secretary would meet Dr Anbumani tomorrow to explain the position and get the MCI's recognition for admitting students to these colleges.

The MCI had also withheld recognition to a private medical college, Sree Mookambika Institute of Medical Sciences, Kanniyakumari. All the four colleges were relatively new.

It may be recalled that MCI in its website had said ''not recommended for renewal of permission for 2007-2008'' against the names of these colleges. In effect, this means a drastic reduction of 300 seats available in the Tamil Nadu government pool. The three colleges each had a sanctioned strength of 100 seats.

A further 100 seats would be reduced in the private college pool - the number of seats that was originally sanctioned to Sree Mookambika Institute of Medical Sciences.

The Kanyakumari Medical College was started in 2003, Government Vellore Medical College in 2005 and Theni Government Medical College in 2006.

UNI