Non-MBBS Staff Filling Doctor Roles in Telangana

Private hospitals and nursing homes in Telangana are facing serious allegations of appointing individuals without MBBS qualifications as duty medical officers (DMOs). The Healthcare Reforms Doctors Association (HRDA) has received at least 30 complaints detailing instances where nursing homes and multispecialty hospitals allegedly employed paramedical staff and AYUSH practitioners to manage allopathic cases in emergency departments. This practice is reportedly driven by lower salary expectations for non-MBBS staff.

The HRDA has formally requested the Telangana Medical Council (TGMC) to ensure that only qualified and registered MBBS doctors are appointed as DMOs and casualty medical officers in private healthcare facilities. Dr. Karthik Nagula, HRDA president, emphasized that allopathic treatment should exclusively be administered by MBBS doctors, advocating for AYUSH practitioners to remain within their specific medical systems. He highlighted that DMOs are often the initial point of contact for emergency patients, and their lack of fundamental diagnostic and treatment knowledge could significantly compromise patient care, a situation he termed 'mixopathy'.

This controversy emerges shortly after Hyderabad police apprehended 12 individuals for allegedly posing as doctors without proper credentials in Secunderabad and Jubilee Hills. A TGMC member estimated that Telangana has approximately 55,000 to 60,000 fake doctors. The official also noted that corporate hospitals are recruiting graduates from Pharm D, BAMS, and BHMS programs as duty doctors, reinforcing the call for employing only qualified MBBS professionals. Calls for police action and the formation of a joint committee involving the TGMC, HRDA, and police have been made to address this escalating issue and potentially improve patient care while creating employment for MBBS doctors.