Doctors fume as health ministry disassociates with prestigious Dr BC Roy National Award

The medical fraternity responded sharply to the disassociation, terming it “unfortunate”.

Dr Rohan Krishnan, President of the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) said in a tweet that “It’s sad that the contributions of Dr BC Roy is [sic]not being honoured.”

Its sad that the contributions of Dr B C Roy is not being honoured by @NMC_IND & the contributions of doctors are not being acknowledged by @MoHFW_INDIA .
This is very sad that this highest order of award of medical research and excellence given by President is been withdrawn! pic.twitter.com/xmRmpnZIra

— Dr. Rohan Krishnan (@DrRohanKrishna3) November 11, 2022

Three awards to go

The NMC decided to disassociate with the three awards after a meeting it had with the Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Mansukh Mandaviya on 26 September and another one with the Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare on 7 October.

The other two awards were the Silver Jubilee Research Award and Hari Om Ashram Alembic Research Award.

A statement from the NMC said: “…subsequent to the discussions taken in the senior office’s meeting, chaired by Hon’ble Minister for Health & Family Welfare, on 26th September, 2022, and the discussions held in the meeting, chaired by the Hon’ble Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare on 7th October, 2022, it has been decided that the National Medical Commission will no longer be associated with the [following] awards and the Societies associated with these awards [sic].”

Earlier, it was decided to “rationalise” the number of Florence Nightingale Nurses awards, presented to 51 nurses, recast three awards by the NMC, including the BC Roy Award, and institute a new award of “very high stature”.

Doctors disappointed

Expressing displeasure over the move to disassociate with BC Roy Award, Dr Rohan said, “We have been continuously making representation to Mansukh Mandaviya, requesting him to continue the BC Roy Award which has not been presented since 2018.”

“Dr BC Roy Award was one of the most prestigious awards that a doctor could aim for in his lifetime. From the very beginning of the medical course, we have been dreaming of getting this highest honour someday. Each doctor aspires to receive the BC Roy Award from the President of India”, he told South First.

The IMA, in a letter released in September, thanked the Union Health Ministry for to restarting the process to confer the Dr BC Roy Award for doctors. (Supplied)

The doctor said the decision of the ministry has disheartened the medical fraternity.

“Dr BC Roy himself was one of the great physicians and renowned medical persons in the world, not just in India. Why can’t we appreciate the work that person had done for the country,” Dr Rohan asked.

Dr Sanjay G, a Bengaluru-based physician, urged the government to reconsider its decision.

“Dr BC Roy was not just a renowned medical doctor, but also the chief minister of West Bengal for almost 14 years. He was a great personality by himself and for the younger generation of medical professionals, this award means a lot,” he pointed out.

“The government should reconsider the decision and keep these awards free of politics. Since the NMC has not provided any explanation, it can lead to various concerns,” he added.

Interestingly, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) in September 2022 had released a letter, thanking the health minister and the government for restarting the process to confer Dr BN Roy Award.

“With the constant persuasion of the Indian Medical Association, Ministry and Family Welfare, GoI, has finally agreed to restart the process of conferment of Dr B C Roy Memorial Award ceremoniously, which was pending since the last four years. Hopefully, a large number of deserving doctors will be benefitted by this. Our sincere thanks to the Hon’ble Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Shri Mansukh Mandavia Ji for his support in this cause. IMA also thanks all those who supported us overtly or covertly in this task [sic],” the letter stated.

“The health ministry, which had agreed to restart the award, has now said that it will disassociate with it. It is a very unfortunate decision. We will urge the government to reconsider the decision. It is a highly prestigious award. It should not be discontinued,” a member of the association told South First.

Who is Dr BC Roy?

India celebrates National Doctors’ Day on July 1 every year in honour of the country’s first medical consultant, Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy, whose birth and death anniversaries fall on that day.

Besides being a doctor, he was also a philanthropist and social worker. He served as the chief minister of West Bengal for 14 years, from 1948 till his death in 1962.

Interestingly, it was Dr BC Roy who established the Indian Medical Association in 1928, and the Medical Council of India. He was instrumental in upholding the cause of medical education and health services, which had far-reaching impact on the lives of the common man.