OPD services disrupted as doctors observe strike against NMC Bill
JALANDHAR : Outpatient department (OPD) services at the civil hospital and a majority of private hospitals here remained disrupted on Tuesday as the Indian Medical Association (IMA) had called for observation of ‘Black Day’ to protest against the National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill, which was presented by Union health minister JP Nadda in the Lok Sabha. The Bill proposed to replace the Medical Council of India (MCI).
While doctors at the civil hospital held a protest outside the trauma centre and didn’t attend any OPD patient, representatives of the IMA held a press conference condemning the Bill as ‘draconian’, that will legalise corruption.
IMA national vice-president Dr PS Bakshi said that this Bill has provisions to allow ayurvedic and homeopathic doctors to practice allopathy after a six-month course, thus bringing them on par with MBBS doctors while, on the other hand, MBBS doctors will have to clear another examination for getting a licence to practice. “This is totally unfair and we won’t let this Bill to be passed till the government did not make amendments in the Bill,” he said.
Dr Navjot Dahiya, secretary, IMA Punjab, said that the only aim of the Bill is to fill the seats in the medical colleges to make education purely commercial making the medical profession an exclusive domain of the rich.
“When I was studying I used to pay ₹3,000 per month while today, a youth, who aspires to be a doctor, has to pay over ₹15 lakh annually and for the entire course, one needs over ₹3.5 crore to become a doctor. How can we expect that the one, who spends crores to become a doctor can serve when we already put the ‘idea of business’ in their minds,” Dahiya said.
He said that the government can interfere in the fees of only up to 40% seats in private colleges while the management has the power to fix fees for the remaining 60% seats.“If the government remains adamant on the decision to pass the Bill as it is, days are not far when doctors will be forced to change their profession,” he added.
EMERGENCY SERVICES NORMAL IN PATIALA
PATIALA: Outpatient departments (OPDs) of both public and private hospitals remained closed from 6am to 4pm, while emergency services remained unaffected. The IMA had earlier planned to observe strike from 6am to 6pm, but it shortened it after the bill was referred to the standing committee.
Dr Rakesh Arora, president, the Patiala unit of the IMA, said the proposed Bill will bring nonmedical people into the highest body of medical governance.
“Moreover, the Bill will allow BAMS, homeopathic and Unani graduates to get registered in modern medicine merely by doing a 6-month bridge course,” he said. He said that the Bill will directly affect patient care and their safety.
“The Bill also restricts the voting rights of all the doctors in electing their representatives in the national body, MCI,”the IMA stated. A delegation of the IMA also submitted a memorandum to the deputy commissioner regarding their demands.
MIXED RESPONSE TO STIR IN LUDHIANA
LUDHIANA:The IMA call for strike from 6am to 6pm got a mixed response from private hospitals here. The IMA had declared it as ‘Black Day’ for medical practitioners all over India.
Doctors at the civil hospital suspended work from 11am to 1 pm. Dr Kulwinder Singh, SMO, said, “We have not stopped services at the emergency ward and doctors at the OPD attended patients till 11am.” However, the anti-rabies wing remained open throughout the day and administered the anti-rabies medicine to dog-bite patients.
Meanwhile, Christian Medical College (CMC) Hospital did not suspend work, but doctors at the hospital wore black badges in support of the decision of the IMA to observe strike. Dr William Bhatti, medical superintendent, CMC, said, “We receive patients suffering from chronic ailments and can’t risk their lives. So, we decided not to suspend work.”
Dr Avinash Jindal, president, IMA, Ludhiana branch, said that the NMC, in the present form in the Bill, is not acceptable to them.
STRIKE DEFERRED IN HOSHIARPUR
HOSHIARPUR : The local unit of the IMA deferred the strike following the referral of the NMC Bill to Parliament’s standing committee, but warned the government to resume the agitation if all objectionable clauses were not dropped.
State IMA president Rajender Sharma, welcoming the government move to refer the matter to the standing committee, called it a victory of the medical fraternity. “The strike has been called off for the time being, but if our demand to drop objectionable sections are not met, we can resume agitation”, he said.