Doctors on warpath, to observe ''Protest Day'' tomorrow

Nagpur, Jan 21 (PTI) Doctors practising modern medicinewill observe January 22 as ''Protest Day'' to oppose thedissolution of the Medical Council of India (MCI) and illegalsuspension of license to practice of the Indian MedicalAssociation''s (IMA) president and general secretary.

"The medical doctors fraternity are also opposing theproposed Bachelor of Rural Healthcare course saying it isgoing to be detrimental to rural populace," former IMAnational president Dr Anil Laddahad and local unit presidentDr Prashant Nikhade told reporters here.

Rural people are not second class citizens and governmentshould provide the best of facilities in rural areas to ensurethat MBBS doctors willingly go to such areas, they said.

Indian Radiological and Imaging Association president DrKishore Taori said dissolution of MCI and its replacement bythe Board of Governors was a slap on the democratic running ofstatutory institution of the country.

MCI must remain an autonomous body and free fromgovernment pressures and IMA will leave no stone unturned torestore the autonomy, he said.

Doctors from all departments, teaching, practising alongwith post-graduate students in all sectors across the countrywill protest tomorrow without affecting the treatment ofpatients, Dr Laddhad said.