The eligibility is decided in view of the specialised nature of the services entrustable to the personnel under IMS. The Working Group, headed by Dr Vedprakash Mishra, former Chairman of Academic Committee of Medical Council of India (MCI), had submitted the report to Dr Rajan Sharma, the then National President, Indian Medical Association, Headquarters, New Delhi. The committee had Dr Vinay Aggarwal, Dr Shivkumar Utture, the then Chairman of Maharashtra Medical Council as other members, while Dr R V Asokan was Member Secretary. IMA then submitted it to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India. While talking to ‘The Hitavada’, Dr Shivkumar Utture said, “We have submitted the report to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. The then Minister accepted and agreed on the recommendations we made. The cadre should be created. If one goes by the past experience, one would realise what problems we faced during coronavirus pandemic. Considering those, the officers from IMS would have executed the work as per the requirement. A person from IMS would know better what medicos should do during such situations or steering the healthcare system in a manner as per its need.” It is said that when a student becomes doctor and then turns towards Civil Services, the seat which was allotted to him for his medical graduation goes waste because he doesn’t render services as a medico in his later life. If the IMS is created, such medicos can go for civil services and keep rendering services as medical professionals by becoming a bureaucrat in their own field.

As Government has planned to open medical colleges in every district, managing those is a bit difficult. Bureaucrats from IMS can handle it very well. People from IMS will help in removing the lacunae in running and functioning of Government Medical Colleges and other health centres, pointed out Dr Pinak Dande, a known name in medical field in Central India. It has been observed by several authorities that non-medical bureaucrats fail to understand the issues related to front-line health workers as well as the problems of patients. If a person graduating from modern medicine branch gets the responsibility of handling medical education or public health, it would make a difference. In the past, it has been proved, observed several medicos. Even during corona pandemic, bureaucrats like Dr Sanjay Mukherjee, were entrusted with the responsibility of Secretary of Medical Education. Dr Sanjeev Kumar was Divisional Commissioner at Nagpur; Dr Rajan Khobragade handled the responsibility of Principal Health Secretary at Kerala, Dr Nitin Kulkarni was the Principal Secretary for Health Services at Ranchi to name a few.

The structure of the Indian Medical Services that has been created by the Working Group is in the form of a cadre specialised in character for the dispensation of healthcare services. The committee pointed out, “The varied administrative experience with addition of professional medical skills will help in better management of any health issue. It would add to the qualitative improvement in medical and health services.” Dr Mishra told ‘The Hitavada’, “The report is with the Ministry. It needs to be implemented as it would help the common man. An IMS person in the chair can surely steer the healthcare system in a better manner. Most important aspect that the Committee observed is of weaving the network of Primary, Secondary and Tertiary healthcare services as an integral part of healthcare delivery system. Only the medico understands its vital element.”