THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : With the launch of the National Medical Register (NMR) portal by the National Medical Commission (NMC), the effectiveness in detecting fake medical practitioners is expected to improve significantly.
The portal addresses the long-standing need for a credible national database of doctors that allows the public to verify credentials. Earlier, the lack of such an interactive repository was seen as a major obstacle in preventing impersonation and other fraudulent activities. With the new system, enforcement agencies can easily verify a doctor’s credentials by matching their registration ID with the NMR database.
A key feature of the NMR is its integration with the doctors’ Aadhaar IDs, which helps ensure the authenticity of individuals. According to Dr Harikumaran Nair G S, president of the Kerala State Medical Council (KSMC) for Modern Medicine, the system allows public verification of registration numbers without compromising privacy.
While some data will be accessible to the public, other information will be restricted to the Ethics & Medical Registration Board (EMRB) within the NMC, State Medical Councils (SMCs), the National Board of Examinations (NBE), medical institutions, and registered medical practitioners, based on specific needs.
The General Practitioners Association (GPA) highlighted the prevalence of fraudulent practices and the challenges in enforcing regulations against them due to the lack of an effective mechanism. Only duly registered medical professionals are authorised to practice medicine in the state. Despite this mandate, instances of MBBS students, dropouts, and unqualified medical graduates who studied abroad practising are abound.
Meanwhile, Dr Ashik Basheer, state president of the GPA, expressed cautious optimism about the portal. “The portal addresses a significant issue in exposing bogus practitioners. Its effectiveness will depend on how widely it is used for credential verification. Increased usage could lead to better outcomes,” said Dr Ashik.
He further said that there is a lack of awareness among police on how to deal with such cases. “The portal could serve as a first step in taking action against bogus practitioners,” he added.
