Unicaus NEWS
This is the second occasion in current instances of the KSMC cracking the whip to make sure that all registered medical practitioners observe the moral tips {of professional} conduct regulating the follow of medication.
The criticism that Collin Alphonse, a registered medical practitioner in Thiruvananthapuram, was displaying unrecognised and unregistered further {qualifications} whereas in medical follow was acquired by the council in 2022. The Ethics Committee of the Modern Medicine Council had summoned Dr. Alphonse on June 14, 2022 for a private listening to.
During the listening to, the physician stated that although he had appeared for the DNB (Medicine) examination after coaching from 2007 to 2010, the consequence was not declared. He claimed that he obtained an MD in Medicine in 2016 and a PhD in Medicine in 2019 from Nicaragua, Central America. He claimed to have utilized for an equivalency certificates from the National Medical Commission (NMC) and that the registration course of had been initiated with the NMC.
Dr. Alphonse stated he had been practising at Jubilee Memorial Hospital since 2019 and asserted that he was unaware that unregistered {qualifications} shouldn’t be displayed for medical follow. He gave an endeavor to the council of corrective motion and likewise tendered an apology.
Ethics Committee stance
The Ethics Committee, nonetheless, discovered that the declare that Dr. Alphonse had utilized for an equivalency certificates was deceptive, because the NMC doesn’t difficulty such a certificates. The levels displayed by Dr. Alphonse weren’t listed as NMC’s recognised {qualifications} and he had practised for 3 years utilizing these {qualifications}.
The council imposed a fantastic of ₹50,000 on Dr. Alphonse and directed him to take away the unregistered {qualifications} from his title board, official seal, and prescription pads, and to submit documentary proof to the council.
However, aside from paying the fantastic of ₹50,000, Dr. Alphonse refused to adjust to the remainder of the directives, even after a reminder was despatched to him. On February 22 this yr, the KSMC, throughout a shock inspection at Jubilee Memorial Hospital, discovered that Dr. Alphonse was persevering with to follow, displaying the {qualifications}, MD (Medicine), PG in Diabetology, and FCCM (Critical Care in FC).
The council then issued a present trigger discover to him, directing him to seem earlier than the council. In his look on June 21, Dr. Alphonse blamed the hospital administration for together with the {qualifications} on the board positioned exterior his consulting room.
Doctor’s stance
He stated that upon receiving the present trigger discover he had instructed the hospital authorities to take away the unregistered {qualifications} from the title board. Dr. Alphonse, nonetheless, admitted that he was utilizing the identical {qualifications} in different areas the place he had medical follow, “considering that the directions by the council utilized solely to the follow at Jubilee Memorial Hospital”.
The council, nonetheless, held Dr. Alphonse accountable for repeatedly ignoring its directives and persevering with his unauthorised follow despite the fact that he had paid a penalty for a similar offence in 2022.
‘Not a specialist’
The KSMC on July 3, determined to take away his title from the State Medical Register for 3 months, noting that he had uncared for his skilled duty to make sure correct and lawful public illustration. Dr. Alphonse was additionally directed to implement corrective measures; to not show unregistered {qualifications} and to not declare to be a specialist until he was duly certified to take action.
The physician has the precise to attraction earlier than the Ethics and Medical Registration Board of the National Medical Commission as per Section 30(3) of the NMC Act, 2019, and as per Clause 8.8 of the Indian Medical Council (Professional Conduct, Etiquette and Ethics) Regulations, 2002.
Published – July 16, 2025 04:40 pm IST
