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{{Short description|Inter-service defence organization in India}}

The '''Armed Force Medical Services (AFMS)''' is an inter services organisation under the [[Ministry of Defence (India)|Ministry of Defense]], covering the [[Indian Armed Forces]]. It came into existence in 1948. The [[Director General Armed Forces Medical Services (India)|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 of India|Government]] for the overall medical policy in so far as they relate to the Armed Forces.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=DIRECTORATE GENERAL ARMED FORCE MEDICAL SERVICES {{!}} Department Of Defence |url=https://www.mod.gov.in/dod/directorate-general-armed-force-medical-services |access-date=2022-04-13 |website=www.mod.gov.in}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Medical - Join Indian Navy {{!}} Government of India |url=https://www.joinindiannavy.gov.in/en/page/medical.html |access-date=2022-04-13 |website=www.joinindiannavy.gov.in}}</ref>

==History==
In March 1947 a committee named “''Armed Forces Medical Services and Research Integration Committee''” headed by Dr [[Bidhan Chandra Roy|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. [[Indian Army|Army]], [[Indian Navy|Navy]] and [[Indian Air Force|Air Force]] and that there should be a Supreme Controller of all the three Medical Services designated as [[Director General Armed Forces Medical Services (India)|Director General of the Armed Forces Medical Services]] (DGAFMS) who would be the advisor to the [[President of India|Supreme Commander]] or the [[Minister of Defence (India)|Defence Minister]] as the case may be, regarding the medical needs of the [[Indian Armed Forces|Armed Forces]]. He will be the administrative head of the Armed Forces Medical Services.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Audit Reports {{!}} Director General of Audit, Defence Services, New Delhi |url=https://cag.gov.in/defence/new-delhi/en/audit-report/details/1933 |access-date=2022-04-13 |website=cag.gov.in}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Almanac: India, Republic of • Military Medicine Worldwide |url=https://military-medicine.com/almanac/61-india-republic-of.html |access-date=2022-04-13 |website=military-medicine.com}}</ref>

Accordingly, the Government in 1948 integrated the medical services of the [[Royal Indian Navy]], the [[British Indian Army|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 [[Lieutenant general (India)|Lt Gen]] / [[Vice admiral (India)|Vice Admiral]] / [[Air marshal (India)|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 (India)|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 and updated from time to time.<ref name=":0" />

==Organization==
The [[Director General Armed Forces Medical Services (India)|Director General Armed Forces Medical Services]] heads the entire AFMS. The Director Generals of Medical Services of Army, Navy and Air Force are
responsible for overseeing the functioning of the hospitals of the respective Services and also are the medical advisors to their respective Chief of Staff.

The AFMS consists of [[Army Medical Corps (India)|Army Medical Corps]] (AMC) including AMC (NT), [[Indian Army Dental Corps|Army Dental Corps]] (AD Corps) and [[Military Nursing Service]] (MNS).

===Classification of hospitals===
Hospitals in the Army are classified into various categories as Sectional, Peripheral, Mid Zonal, Zonal, Command, Army Hospital (Research & Referral), based on bed strength and extent of availability of specialties.<ref>{{Cite journal |title=Report No. 18 of 2012 - Performance Audit on Medical Establishments in Defence Services, Department of Defence |url=https://cag.gov.in/cag_old/sites/default/files/audit_report_files/Union_Performance_Defence_Medical_Establishments_Defence_Services_18_2012_Chapter_1.pdf |journal=}}</ref>

===Training institutions===
{{main|Armed Forces Medical College}}
The [[Armed Forces Medical College]], [[Pune]] (AFMC) is the premier training institution of the AFMS established in May 1948. Other select hospitals such as AH (R&R), CH (AF) [[Bengaluru]] and INHS Ashwini [[Mumbai]] also impart post graduate training to the AMC officers. The College of Nursing at AFMC conducts a four-year degree course in Nursing.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Welcome to Armed Forces Medical College |url=https://afmc.nic.in/ |access-date=2022-04-13 |website=afmc.nic.in}}</ref>

==See also==

*[[Army Medical Corps (India)]]
*[[Military Nursing Service]]
*[[Military Engineer Services (India)]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{url|https://www.mod.gov.in/dod/directorate-general-armed-force-medical-services|Official Website}} - ''Ministry of Defence''

{{Indian Army arms and services}}
{{Military of India}}

[[Category:Defence agencies of India]]

Armed Forces Medical Services - Revision history

CleanupBot II at 18:20, 13 August 2023