New Delhi: In a move that breaks the long-standing regulatory impasse, the National Medical Commission (NMC) has granted recognition to the Post Graduate Diploma in Clinical Cardiology (PGDCC), effectively validating the degrees of nearly 1,700 doctors who completed the course between 2006 and 2013. The programme, run by IGNOU, was effectively discontinued after 2013 after it was not recognized by the then Medical Council of India.The decision, announced by the Indian Association of Clinical Cardiologists on Tuesday, is also being seen as a step towards addressing the shortage of cardiology specialists in deprived areas.The decision comes against the backdrop of nearly 28% of deaths in India being due to heart disease, while access to specialists remains low in cities. About 65–70% of the country’s population lives outside major cities, but more than 80% of cardiologists are located in urban centres, leaving large areas dependent on general practitioners and delayed referrals.India has less than 5,000-6,000 cardiologists for more than 1.4 billion people – about one per 2-3 lakh – which is well below global norms. “India is facing a growing and under-reported shortage of cardiology specialists,” said Dr Rakesh Gupta of the Indian Academy of Echocardiography. news network