The National Medical Commission (NMC) has set October 7 as deadline for medical colleges to provide details of medical students (undergraduate and postgraduate) who have died by suicide as well as those who have discontinued the course, in the last five years.
The move comes following a rise in incidents of suicide, ragging, overwork and denial of weekly-offs for medical students.
While doctors have welcomed the initiative, they want the NMC to do more, including appointing an independent committee to look into these complaints and take remedial action swiftly.
The NMC in its recent notification issued to the principals and deans of medical colleges, said that they need to submit details on number of students who have committed suicide during the past five years and those who have discontinued their courses during this time.
The NMC has also asked colleges to provide details of the working hours and weekly-off given to the students. Expressing concern over the incidents of suicide and suicidal tendency among the students, the NMC said that though all such incidents were not linked to ragging, in many cases suicides have been caused by ragging. The NMC is slated to review the matter, said a senior official.
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“Every life is precious and together we have to ensure that students are offered a safe learning environment. The Commission has taken a positive step in the right direction and this needs to be followed up with swift remedial action. This will send the right message to students. Counselling and support systems also need to be put in place to ensure that incidents of stress-induced suicides among students are prevented,’‘ said Dr. Sunil Kumar, former Director General of Health Services (DGHS), Health Ministry.
He added that a 24-hour helpline must be established in all medical colleges and an internal high-powered committee, chaired by the dean or principal and having a very senior professor of psychiatry as member, be constituted in all medical colleges to ensure prevention and treatment of mental health issues amongst medicos.
(Those in distress or having suicidal tendencies could seek help and counselling by calling the following number:
Sanjivini, Society for Mental Health - 011-4076 9002, Monday-Saturday, 10 am -7.30 pm)
