National Medical Commission (NMC) has sanctioned 12 new medical PG seats for Kerala in the speciality (MD) and super speciality (DM) categories, 10 of which, including two paediatric nephrology DM seats, will go to Thiruvananthapuram Medical College.

It is for the first time in the country that paediatric nephrology DM seats have been sanctioned for a government medical college. Since Thiruvananthapuram Medical College is the only medical college in Kerala with a paediatric nephrology wing, the two new DM seats is expected to give the wing a comprehensive upgrade.

The NMC's decision was announced by health minister Veena George in a statement on Tuesday. The seats are: Thiruvananthapuram Medical College - two seats for paediatric nephrology DM, two seats for pulmonary medicine DM, six seats for anaesthesia MD; Alappuzha Medical College - two seats for psychiatry MD.

"Once these new courses begin, these government hospitals, in addition to deepening research, can provide more skilled services in treatment and teaching," the health minister said. "With this, the total number of PG seats sanctioned after this government came to power has risen to 92," she added.

The minister said that the DM paediatric nephrology courses would usher in a radical transformation in the treatment of kidney diseases among children. "We will now be able to create skilled specialists for the treatment of kidney diseases among children, dialysis and kidney transplant. In the country itself there is a dearth of doctors in this highly specialised field," she said.

As it stands, only Kozhikode Medical College has a seat for pulmonary medicine DM. Now, Thiruvananthapuram will get two. Research on sleep disorders, critical care and interventional pulmonology will be part of this. "The government is taking all steps to begin these courses at the earliest," the health minister said.