After years of wait, NMC awards diploma in cardiology

NEW DELHI: In a bid to resolve a long-standing regulatory impasse, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has recognized the Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Cardiology (PGDCC), effectively validating the degree of around 1,700 doctors who completed the course between 2006 and 2013. The project, run by IGNOU, was effectively shut down after 2013 as it was not recognized by the erstwhile Medical Council of India.The decision announced by the Indian Association of Clinical Cardiologists on Tuesday is also seen as a step towards addressing the shortage of cardiologists in underserved areas.The decision comes against the backdrop of cardiovascular disease accounting for nearly 28% of deaths in India, even as experts’ services remain skewed towards urban areas. Nearly 65-70% of the country’s population lives outside major cities, but more than 80% of cardiologists are located in urban centres, leaving much of the area dependent on general practitioners and delayed referrals.India has fewer than 5,000 to 6,000 cardiologists (roughly one for every 2 to 300,000 people) for a population of over 1.4 billion, which is far below global standards. “India is facing a growing and under-reported shortage of cardiologists,” said Dr. Rakesh Gupta of the Indian Institute of Echocardiography. Neural Network