After permitting the recognition of post-graduate medical degrees of five English speaking countries for teaching as visiting faculty in India, the union health ministry will soon allow the overseas citizens of India with foreign medical qualifications to both practice and teach in India. Union minister for health Ghulam Nabi Azad said that the health ministry is is now considering to facilitate overseas citizens of India with foreign medical qualifications to both practice and teach in India. The government is fully prepared to go an extra mile to adequately liberalize policies and set up a single window within the ministry of health and family welfare to ease the process of the meaningful participation of the overseas citizens of India with foreign medical qualifications. Earlier some time ago, the central government had permitted the recognition of post-graduate medical degrees of five English speaking countries of UK, USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand for teaching as visiting faculty in India. The health ministry''s latest overtures come in the wake of severe shortage of medical professionals in the country, especially in the rural areas. The ministry was proposed to introduce a new medical course to meet the shortage of doctors in the rural areas---a three and a half years course in Bachelor Degree in Medicine and Surgery to produce doctors who will work in rural areas. But, a final decision on the issue is pending due to stiff resistance from some of the stakeholders. For more information visit: http://pharmabiz.com/NewsDetails.aspx?aid=66955&sid=1