It had been decided by the Govt. of India, Ministry of Health; Family Welfare, New Delhi, in 1985, to utilize the services of Indian physicians residing in U.S.A. in Continuing Medical Education and Patient Care in India. A scheme for donation of medical equipment to medical institutions in India, initiated by the American Association of Physicians from India (AAPI), U.S.A., was approved. The Medical Council of India (MCI), New Delhi, has been designated as the nodal agency to co-ordinate this scheme in India. Due to successful implementation of the said scheme with AAPI, U.S.A., the said scheme has been extended by the Central Govt., Ministry of Health; Family Welfare in 1993 to involve Indian doctors from UK and Canada also.

The Directorate General of Health Services has agreed to grant Customs Duty Exemption for all equipments/books and journals donated under this scheme. The Shipping Corporation of India and Air India have agreed to 100% waiver of transportation charges subject to availability of space in the cargo. The packaging and dispatch of the equipments will be the responsibility of the donors.

A number of useful equipments/books and journals have been received under this scheme. It is expected that all medical institutions in the country can benefit from this scheme.

1. Doctors in USA/UK/Canada wishing to donate medical equipments, books and journals, etc., to Indian institutions are required to contact the High Commission of India/Indian Embassy at their countries.
2. It has been decided not to accept equipment worth less than $ 25,000 or equipments which are manufactured or available in India. However, if a particulars equipment is not manufactured/available in India and it is extremely useful, it can be accepted even if priced less than the above amount.
3. The equipment should be the latest model and should not have gone out of use in USA/UK/Canada.
4. Only latest editions of books and journals are to be accepted.
5. The donors must provide all the information regarding the equipment and accessories, such as cost of the equipment, manufacturer’s name, technical details, date of manufacture etc. descriptive catalogue / technical literature may be attached. (Appendix I).
6. A certificate for each equipment, of its working condition and shelf life of at least 4-5 years should be obtained from concerned technical persons and attached with the above details.
7. It should be possible to use the equipment in India on a power line of 220 volts, : 50 hz

The High Commission of India/Embassy of India at USA/UK/Canada will receive all offers of donation medial equipments, books and journals, and obtain necessary information about the donated items on a format specially prepared for this purpose (Appendix I). The donors may also suggest the names of the hospitals or medical colleges where the items donated by them may be sent. This information will be sent by the High Commission of India/Embassy of India to the Medical Council of India for evaluating the offer and further necessary action. The High Commission of India/Embassy of India will arrange transportation of the consignment through Air India or Shipping Corporation of India, to the various medical institutions in India, as intimated by the Medical Council of India.

The address of the Medical Council of India is:-

Medical Council of India,
Pocket – 14,  Sector – 8,  Dwarka Phase -1,
New Delhi – 110 075.
Phone : 25367033, 25367035, 2367036, 25367037.
Fax No.  25367025

The Medical Council of India, will determine the hospitals or the medical colleges which will receive the equipment and inform the Embassy of India/High Commission of India and the concerned donor. It will collect the necessary information regarding the equipment and the details of the recipient institutions.

It will also ascertain whether the recipient institutions are in need of the particular equipment, have the necessary staff and infrastructure to maintain the equipment and whether facilities for services and spare parts are available in India. The institutions will be informed regarding obtaining of Customs duty exemption certificate from the Directorate General of Health Services, and other facilities under the scheme.

As soon as intimation regarding receipt of the equipment from the concerned institution is received, the Council will inform the respective donor, the nodal officer at High Commission of India/Embassy of India in USA/UK/Canada and the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare.

The Deputy Director General of Health Services (Med), Directorate General of Health Services, Nirman Bhawan, New Delhi, is the authority to whom all references relating to exemption from Customs Duty in respect of equipment donated abroad are to be addressed. It has been decided by the Govt. of India to grant Customs Duty Exemption Certificate for all equipments donated under this scheme. Govt. hospitals are now not required to approach the Directorate General Health Services for Customs Duty Exemption Certificate on individual consignments. However, one time approval regarding the institution is required from the Directorate General Health Services. In the case of Charitable Hospitals, approval for individual equipments is required from the Directorate General Health Services.

1. The following information has to be sent to the Medical Council of India:-
   • Whether the institution is in need of the particular equipment(s).
   • Availability of necessary staff and infrastructure to maintain the equipment.
   • Availability of spare parts and service facilities in their region or elsewhere in India.
2. The receiving institution has to give a clear undertaking that it will take care of all formalities for import of the equipment, like import license, customs clearance and transportation of the equipment from USA/UK/Canada through Air India/Shipping Corporation of India. Taking delivery of the equipment is also the responsibility of the institution.
3. After the donor and recipient institutions are identified and approved by the MCI., for accepting the donated equipment recipient institutions should apply for customs duty exemption as follows
   • If the recipient organisation is attached to a medical college or is an approved research institute, the Head of the Institute should send his application to Asst.. Director General (Medical Education), Directorate General of Health Services, A-Wing, Nirman Bhawan, New Delhi – 11.
   • In case recipient organisations are hospitals and diagnostic centres not attached to medical colleges, Heads of these institutions should send their applications to Assistant Director General (Medical) Directorate General of Health Services, A-Wing, Nirman Bhawan, New Delhi – 11.
   • In case recipient institutions, teaching as well as non-teaching belong to Central Govt., State Govt., Municipal Authorities, autonomous authorities or registered bodies under full control of above agencies or organisations established by law, they should apply for one time certificate under Finance Ministry notification No. 63/88, dated 1.3.1988 to the concerned authority as mentioned above at (a) and (b) respectively.
   • In case recipient organisations are charitable or semi-charitable organisation, the should send their applications accompanied by a certificate from State Govt. about their status, if they are not already included in the list of approved charitable hospitals to the authority as mentioned at (b) & (c) above. CDEC. will be issued in all such cases on priority where donated equipment is already provisionally accepted through MCI.
     Normally action is taken promptly. However, in case of any difficulty or problem they should contact the respective A.D.Gs. or Deputy Director General (Med.) of Health Services.
4. Proforma for obtaining custom duty exemption certificate from D.G.H.S. is also appended (Appendix II). The documents to be attested with the application which is to be routed through the concerned State Govt. are as follows:-
   • Copy of Registration of Institution
   • Schedule of charges
   • Inventory of major equipments
   • Proforma invoice (8 copies)
   • NMIC obtainable from D.G.T.D.
   • 5 point/ 8 point certificate from the State Govt
5. Transportation of the consignment from the port of disembarkation, installation and maintenance of the equipment in accordance with the procedures laid down by the manufacturers will be the responsibilities of the recipient institution.
6. On receipt of the equipment, the institution should inform the Medical Council of India and the donor, immediately.