1. DNB in District Hospitals in West Bengal
In
order to achieve the mission of the Health Department to provide affordable,
quality health care services that are accessible to all round the clock,
several Policy initiatives and interventions have been taken by State
Government of West Bengal. Works of 34 super speciality hospitals from BRGF
grants and another 6 from State Plan are have been planned and under
construction and likely to be operational in next few years. Apart from this,
12 Mother & Child Hubs are planned for mother & child care
specialities. 37 SNCUs and 18 CCUs have been made functional and there is plan
to have one SNCU and one CCU/ HDU at each Sub divisional hospital in the State.
1.1
Health
infrastructure being created needs trained manpower, particularly the
specialist doctors, nursing personnel and technicians to utilise the facilities
to full capacity. While, steps have been taken to increase postgraduate degree
and diploma seats in medical colleges in last three years and absorption of
passed out doctors in the Public Health Care through recruitment, there remains
a large gap between demand and supply, particularly.
1.2
Multi
Disciplinary Expert Group constituted by State Government recommended DNB
courses in District Hospitals where CCUs, SNCUs and other speciality health
care services are already functional and accordingly, six District Hospitals
applied for accreditation to National Board of Examination in January 2014.
1.3
All these DHs
got approval for 10 seats in each Hospital under Anaesthesiology, General
Medicine, General Surgery, Obstetrics & Gynaecology and Paediatrics
specialities. DNB students will be utilised to provide health care in these
hospitals as resident doctors.
1.4
Junior
Consultants with five years experience and senior consultants with eight years
of experience in the specialisation field working in the District Hospital will
be teaching faculty and guide to these DNB students. Medical College mentors
have been tagged with each District Hospital for providing guidance regarding
research, thesis and course curriculum.
1.5
Administrative
arrangements and logistics for the DNB courses have already been created in all
six hospitals.
1.6
In first round
of the counselling, 22 out of 42 Primary seats have already been filled. This
is very good response in the first year of accreditation by Government run
Secondary hospitals.
1.7
All arrangements
for library, seminar hall, classrooms, faculty rooms, accommodation for DNB
doctors and practical examinations have been made in record 8 months time on
emergency basis. These hospitals can take the pride that their experienced
doctors got the status of teaching consultants.
1.8
Details of seats
approved and seats filled so far in six hospitals are given in tabular format
below. MR Bangur DH is already running DNB courses. More seats will be filled
after second round of counselling.
Name of DH/
Speciality
|
Anaesthesiology
|
General Medicine
|
General Surgery
|
Obstetrics & Gynaecology
|
Paediatrics
|
Total filled in DH
|
Percent seat filled
|
Asansol DH
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
4
|
57%
|
Purulia DH
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
2
|
29%
|
Krishnagar DH
|
0
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
3
|
43%
|
Barasat DH
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
5
|
71%
|
Howrah DH
|
1
|
0
|
2
|
1
|
1
|
5
|
71%
|
Chinsurah Imambara
DH
|
1
|
1
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
3
|
43%
|
Total filled
|
3
|
5
|
7
|
4
|
3
|
22
|
|
Total seats
|
6
|
12
|
12
|
6
|
6
|
42
|
|
Total vacant
|
3
|
7
|
5
|
2
|
3
|
20
|
|
Break up vacant
|
SC 1, OBC-A 1 and ST 1
|
SC 4, OBC-A 1, OBC-B 1 and PWD 1
|
SC 1, OBC-A 2 and OBC-B 2
|
SC 2
|
SC 1, OBC-A 1 and PWD 1
|
Vacant : SC 9, OBC-A 5, OBC-B 3, ST 1
and PWD 2
|
2. What is DNB :-
The Nomenclature of the degree awarded by the
National Board of Examinations is called the “Diplomate of National
Board”. The list of recognised qualifications awarded by the Board in
various Broad and Super specialities as approved by the Government of India
and included in the First Schedule of IMC Act 1956.
2.1 The Diplomate qualifications
awarded by the National Board of Examinations have been equated with the
postgraduate and post doctorate degrees awarded by other Indian Universities
by the Government of India, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare; vide their
notifications issued from time to time.
2.2 The holders of Board’s
qualification awarded after an examination (DNB Final) are eligible to be
considered for specialists post in any Hospital including training/teaching
institution
2.3 The Board at present conducts
postgraduate and postdoctoral examinations in 54 disciplines approved by the
Board for the award of Diplomate of National Board. The Medical Council of
India has laid down standards for post graduate examinations conducted by
various medical colleges and affiliated to concerned universities and other
institutions, yet the levels of proficiency and standards of evaluation vary
considerably in these institutions.
2.4 The setting up of a National
Body to conduct post graduate medical examination was intended to provide a
common standard and mechanism of evaluation of minimum level of attainment of
the objective for which post graduate courses were started in medical
institutions.
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3.
Some of the salient advantages
and limitations of DNB courses are described below :-
a.
Easy of entry. This is
the most common reason for someone to choose DNB degree programme. To enrol
in MD/MS one need to clear tough nationwide entrance exam for Govt. Medical
Colleges or pay expensive capitation fee at Private Medical Colleges. For
enrolling in DNB programme one need to clear NBE common entrance test which
is relatively easy compared to MD/MS exams followed by interview at the
institution of choice.
b.
Inexpensive - All one
need to pay is the yearly fee stipulated by the NBE. Compared to the fees
charged by private medical colleges it is a very small amount.
c.
Those MBBS who missed
opportunity to get admission in MS/ MD can get DNB course done and gets the
same status.
d. Students of West Bengal pursuing DNB can get admission in the State,
in districts as total seats in Private Facilities was very low forcing them
to go outside the State.
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4.
Summary:
West Bengal becomes the only State in India
to run DNB courses in such large number at District Hospitals, utilising the
expertise of the Specialists already working there. DNB course will not only
provide additional doctors in DHs but also augment availability of
specialists in the State. Initial response is very good in the first
counselling and it is expected most of the seats except few reserve category
will be filled up. This is big step to give opportunity to MBBS working in
the State and augmentation of manpower for major initiatives by State
Government.
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