Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Boris Johnson announced a slew of commercial deals in bilateral trade and investment, which includes, a 6.9 million pound contract with India's Ujala Cygnus Healthcare group to train Indian doctors in acute medicine, on Friday, April 22. 

Prime Minister Boris Johnson was visiting India for a two-day trip and this is his first trip to India as PM.

The experts from the United Kingdom can provide clinical training to Indian MBBS doctors who are seeking higher qualifications at home.

A health care group in collaboration with the British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (BAPIO) Training Academy has designed an advanced postgraduate programme in primary care and acute medicine under the pact in order to expand India's medical capacity in the backdrop of the Coronavirus pandemic and rising burden of non-communicable diseases (NCD)s.

According to a statement, the idea is to upskill Indian MBBS doctors who are seeking higher qualifications and training. The aspirants will also have an opportunity to visit all National Health Service (NHS) hospitals, a public healthcare system in the UK, for six weeks.

"India, emerging as the soft medical power, is now producing over 83,275 medical graduates every year through its 558 medical colleges. However, there are many international postgraduate training positions to impart higher speciality training," said Dr Shuchin Bajaj, Founder and Director of Ujala Cygnus Group of Hospitals.

"As a result, several doctors, though brilliant, continue to work as general practitioners. This limits their opportunities for career progression. With this deal, now Indian doctors can also upskill themselves," he added.