To address concerns related to increasing suicide among medical students, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has constituted a national task force to analyse factors contributing to these challenges and propose evidence-based strategies for improving mental health.
The 15-member task force comprises Dr BM Suresh, Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro-Sciences (NIMHANS), as the Chairman.
"Mental health of medical students has been a cause of concern in the recent past leading to depression and suicide by medical students. To address this issue, a National Task Force has been constituted by the anti-ragging committee of the National Medical Commission," an official order dated February 21, said.
The task force shall submit a comprehensive report outlining key findings and actionable recommendations for promoting the mental health of the medical students by May 31, 2024.
The Terms and References of the National Task Force listed in the document stated that it will submit the monthly progress report to the NMC anti-ragging cell.
The task force shall convene regular meetings, either virtually or in person, as necessary to fulfill its mandate. Additionally, the committees may visit the medical colleges where the incidents of suicide have been reported.
Constitution of the National Task Force:
1 Dr BM Suresh, Chairman
(Professor, Department of Psychiatry, NIMHANS, Bengaluru)
2. Dr. Yogendra Malik, Member
(Member, Ethics & Medical Registration Board (EMRB), NMC)
3. Dr. Nandini Desai, Member
(Dean, Jamnagar Medical College, Jamnagar)
4. Dr. Geeta Guin, Member
(Dean, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Medical College, Jabalpur)
5. Dr. Naveen Sankhayan, Member
(Professor, Department of Paediatrics, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh)
6 Dr. Vijay Kumar, Member
(Professor, Department of Plastic Surgery, King George’s Medical University, Lucknow)
7 Dr. Bhavuk Garg, Member
(Professor, Department of Orthopaedics, AIIMS, New Delhi)
8. Dr. K. Senthil, Member
(Professor, Department of Medicine, Government Medical College, Madurai)
9. Dr. Pushpendra Mallik, Member
(Professor, Department of Surgery, Bhagat Phool Singh Government Medical College for Women, Sonipat)
10. Dr. Reetu Hooda, Member
(Professor, Department Of Obstetrics & Gynecology, PGIMS, Rohtak)
11. Dr. Kamlesh Upadhyay, Member
(Professor, Department of Medicine, BJ Medical College, Ahmedabad)
12.Dr. Sumit Rana, Member
(Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Lady Hardinge Medical College, New Delhi)
13. Dr. Vijay Silan, Member
(Associate Professor, Department of Community Medicine, Bhagat Phool Singh Government Medical College for Women, Sonipat)
14. Dr. Sunaina Hooda, Member
(Assistant Professor, Department of Pathology, Bhagat Phool Singh Govt. Medical College for Women, Sonipat)
15 Sh Aujender Singh, Member/ Secretary
(Deputy Secretary, NMC)
