As the country is facing an acute shortage of trained medical staff, amid pandemic, over 43,500 foreign medical graduates (FMGs) have offered their services to the government to join the battle against COVID.
These graduates have urged the government to include them as 'interns' in confronting the deadly second wave of Coronavirus- without clearing the mandatory Foreign Medical Graduates Examination (FMGE) exams.
The All India Foreign Medical Graduates Association sent a letter to Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, seeking permission to work as 'interns' and aid in the fight against COVID.
"We are ready to serve the people at this crucial time. We are hopeful that our suggestions will be taken seriously", Dr. A Najeerul Ameen, president of the All India Foreign Medical Graduates Association, told International Business Times. He, however, said that till date they have not received any response from the Prime Minister's Office.
Over 40,000 MBBS, 3500 specialist FMGs in India
There are around 40,000 MBBS doctors and 3500 Specialists of Modern Medicine trained Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs) of Indian origin who have completed their medical education from abroad waiting for registration in the country. Currently, these FMGs have to clear FMGE for registration.
"Those who passed MBBS from abroad have to clear FMGE tests but on the other hand, the Broad specialists (MD/MS) trained Postgraduates from abroad don't even have any provision of screening test and are devoid of any opportunity of registration in our homeland. These FMGs who are clinically well trained also want to serve our motherland where there is a huge crisis of doctors", Dr. Ameen said.
FMGs have to clear FMGE
Foreign Medical Graduates Examination (FMGE) is a licensure examination conducted by the National Board of Examinations (NBE) in India. The test is one of the mandatory requirements for an Indian citizen who has a medical degree from a college outside India to practice medicine in the country.
Students who complete their MBBS from countries like China, Ukraine, Russia, Bangladesh, Philippines, Nepal, and Kazakhstan, have to clear the FMGE to practice in India.
"Keeping in view the prevailing unprecedented situation, we urged Prime Minister, Narendra Modi to consider one-time FMGE exemption for foreign-trained MBBS and foreign-trained specialists (MD/MS) and allow them to register with NMC or State Medical Council after the successful completion of one year COVID duty which will reflect as a historic and golden decision in Indian health care on the humanitarian ground", Dr. Ameen said.
