Ex-MCI chief Ketan Desai apppointed WMA Prez, triggers

Former Medical Council of India (MCI) chief Ketan Desai, who faced allegations of corruption, was today appointed as the president of the World Medical Association (WMA), triggering a controversy.
A WMA statement said that Desai, a former President of MCI and the Indian Medical Association (IMA), delivered his inaugural speech as President of the WMA at the Association's Annual Assembly in Taiwan.
However, Kunal Saha, President, People for Better Treatment (PBT), who is based out of US has sent a legal notice to the MCI and the Union Health Ministry, demanding immediate action to stop this "atrocity".
Saha, who is a physician of Indian origin in US and had set up the voluntary organisation to expose medical malpractices and corruption in health care, also said that he will move the Supreme Court if Indian authorities fail to take any action within seven days.

"I have sent a legal notice to the MCI and Health Ministry demanding immediate action to stop this atrocity. We will move SC if Indian authorities fails to take any action within 7 days," he told PTI.
Asked when Desai took over as president of the WMA, its press contact Nigel Duncan in an email reply said, "Today at the WMA's annual Assembly in Taipei."

Asked about Desai's appointment in the backdrop of allegations of corruption against him, Duncan replied, "In response to your query a WMA comment would be that 'to our knowledge all criminal charges have been dismissed against Dr. Desai'".

According to reports, government dissolved MCI and removed Desai from the post of MCI president in April, 2010 after the CBI arrested him for alleged bribery and corruption. Last year, however, the Lucknow bench of Allahabad High Court had acquitted Desai in the case.
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Saha had also written to outgoing WMA president Micheal
Marmot two days ago asking him to take immediate and appropriate measures to prevent Desai from assuming the highest post in WMA.
Saha in his letter had said that Desai's appointment will not only tarnish the image of the global medical body but will also undermine the medical profession in the eyes of the ordinary people around the world.

The legal notice sent by Saha to MCI said, "I'm sending this legal notice to you seeking your urgent attention and immediate intervention to a matter of great public interest against the baleful promotion of a grossly tainted physician, Ketan Desai, ex-MCI president, to the prestigious post of World Medical Association (WMA) president...
"...In blatant violation of an order passed by this MCI suspending Dr. Desai's medical registration and categorically barring him to participate in any medical association as a doctor."
The MCI in its notification in October 2010 had said its Board of Governors in supersession of MCI has accepted both the recommendations of ethics committees and based on its recommendations, it has decided "to suspend your right to practice medicine during appeal/complaint alleging professional misconduct on your part pending before the ethics committee of board of governors in supersession of MCI.