World Malaria day - A Day to Act

25 April is a day of unified commemoration of the global effort to provide effective control of malaria around the world. This year's World Malaria Day marks a critical moment in time.

The international malaria community has less than a year to meet the 2010 targets of delivering effective and affordable protection and treatment to all people at risk of malaria, as called for by the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon.

K.Desai quits, govt may dissolve MCI board.-13-5-10

With MCI president Ketan Desai resigning on Wednesday, the Union health ministry on Thursday brought in an ordinance before the Cabinet calling for a complete dissolution of the Council's present board. in its place there will be a seven-member doctors panel which will carry out the functions of the MCI till the Indian Medical Council Act is amended. The panel, ,empowered with the approval authority of medical colleges for now, will also submit a blue print to the Prime Minister on constitution of a new body to replace the Medical Council of India.

Though ministry officials said a decision was yet to be taken, the ministry suggested that in the meantime, a seven-member committee be formed to deal with MCI's work.

"Since the Parliament session is over and the MCI Act does not give the government powers to take to task MCI board members, an ordinance is required. the health ministry officials asked for dissolution of the board and a fresh start.

Senior officials of the ministry said a decision on the ordinance would take some time.

According to the MCI Act, the vice-president of MCI is expected to take over once the president resigns.

But,a memorandum against Nayar has also been sent to PM.

Desai was arrested on April 22 by CBI for allegedly accepting a bribe to give permission to a medical college to recruit a fresh batch of students without requisite infrastructure. dr.ketan desai submitted his resignation to the MCI’s vice-president, Dr PC Kesavankutty Nair.

The MCI vice-president has forwarded the resignation letter to the health ministry.
Reacting to the development, health minister Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad Thursday said his ministry will accept Dr Desai's resignation.

past history:

The proposed changes in the act will give the central government greater say in the functioning of the MCI, which is an autonomous body of elected representatives.
A similar Bill was rejected by a parliamentary committee in 2005, which said the proposed legislation destroyed the autonomy of the council. The Prime Minister's Office has turned down a health ministry proposal to dissolve various regulatory bodies for medical and related institutions, and replace them with a new consolidated one.

The PMO has suggested wider consultations before taking a final decision on bodies like the Medical Council of India and similar ones for dental and nursing colleges.
The main functions of the MCI, set up under the Indian Medical Council Act, 1933, are to ensure uniform standards in medical education and grant of recognition to medical degrees awarded in India and abroad.
Medical colleges across the country require the MCI's permission to increase the number of seats, to set up new medical college, to add new courses and also to increase student intake.