The National Medical Commission (NMC) has announced that postgraduate medical students will be deployed for medical duties during the upcoming Char Dham Yatra in Uttarakhand as part of the District Residency Programme (DRP).
In a circular issued on Friday, the NMC said that this deployment will offer postgraduate students an opportunity to serve in resource-limited settings while enhancing their medical training.
The DRP is a mandatory three-month rotational posting at district-level health facilities, aimed at helping medical residents understand healthcare challenges at the community level.
"During the Char Dham Yatra in Uttarakhand in the coming months, there will be a heavy footfall of tourists and pilgrims, and thus increasing the demand for healthcare in these areas," the NMC said. "Unlike other places, the health needs will be under different circumstances. People will be exposed to high altitude related medical complications. This will provide new opportunity for training of post graduates."
The commission noted that several postgraduate doctors are also volunteering for the initiative and added that the Government of Uttarakhand has appealed for healthcare support from other resources.
"Considering the unique opportunity of learning a different area, the National Medical Commission considers this as a potential benefit to post graduate training. Therefore, posting of students who are willing to provide services may be subsumed under the District Residency Program. The Nodal Officer of the States shall facilitate such posting from volunteers to help the health authorities of Uttarakhand State," the circular stated.