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DIRECTORATE GENERAL ARMED FORCE MEDICAL SERVICES

ARMED FORCES MEDICAL SERVICES

MINISTRY OF DEFENCE

Introduction

  1. In March 1947 a committee named “Armed Forces Medical Services and Research Integration Committee” headed by Dr BC Roy was appointed by the Government of India to consider the integration of the three medical services and medical research in the three services. The Committee recommended that there should be three branches of the Indian Armed Forces Medical Services i.e. Army, Navy and Air Force and that there should be a Supreme Controller of all the three Medical Services designated as Director General of the Armed Forces Medical Services (DGAFMS) who would be the advisor to the Supreme Commander or the Defence Minister as the case may be, regarding the medical needs of the Armed Forces. He will be the administrative head of the Armed Forces Medical Services.
  2. Accordingly the Government in 1948 integrated the medical services of the Royal Indian Navy, the Indian Army and the Royal Indian Air Force into the Armed Forces Medical Service and placed the services under the Director General Armed Forces Medical Services with the rank of Lt Gen / Vice Admiral / Air Marshal. The Government also laid down the role and character of responsibilities of DGAFMS. The DGAFMS was made directly responsible to the Ministry of Defence for overall medical policy matters in so far as they relate to the Armed Forces. The Government further laid down that the heads of medical services of Army, Navy and Air Force will be responsible for functioning of these services under the respective Service Chiefs in accordance with any general policy directions that may be given by the DGAFMS. The charter has since been amended / updated from time to time.

Organization of Armed Forces Medical Services

  1. The Director General Armed Forces Medical Services (in the rank of Lt Gen or equivalent) is the head of the Armed Forces Medical Services and is responsible to the Government for the overall medical policy in so far as they relate to the Armed Forces. The Director Generals of Medical Services of Army, Navy and Air Force are the medical advisors to their respective Chief of Staff.
  2. The AFMS consists of Army Medical Corps (AMC) including AMC (NT), Army Dental Corps (AD Corps) and Military Nursing Service (MNS)
  3. Related Link :   Armed Forces Medical College