IMA protests against Medical Commission bill, calls it 'black day'

The Delhi Medical Association has supported the Indian Medical Association’s protest and asked all private hospitals in the national Capital to keep their Outpatient Departments closed. Also, doctors

Indian Medical Association (IMA) called for a one-day strike on Wednesday in protest against the National Medical Commission (NMC) bill. The Medical Association stated that the bill has provisions that would adversely affect the health sector and medical education in the country.

The proposed bill would replace the apex medical education regulator -- Medical Council of India (MCI) with a new body, to ensure transparency, was introduced in the Lok Sabha on December 29. The Bill is likely to come up for discussion in Parliament today.

Parthiv Sanghvi, Indian Medical Association, said, "The central government has left us no option but to call it a 'black day' in the history of the medical profession. 'No to NMC (National Medical Commission)' is a slogan for the medical community as well as every patient."

"The IMA headquarter hereby declares closure of all routine services for 12 hours from 6 AM to 6 PM tomorrow across the country," newly-appointed IMA national president Dr Ravi Wankhedkar told PTI.

Meanwhile, Union Health Minister JP Nadda in Rajya Sabha said, "Spoke to Indian Medical Association yesterday, we have heard them and put forth our perspective as well."

The Delhi Medical Association has supported the Indian Medical Association's protest and asked all private hospitals in the national Capital to keep their Outpatient Departments closed. Also, doctors in Kerala, Maharashtra have supported IMA's protest.

Thiruvananthapuram: Patients wait outside General Hospital as doctors boycott outpatient consultation from 9 am to 10 am after Indian Medical Association called for suspending private healthcare services for 12 hours in protest against National Medical Commission Bill #Kerala pic.twitter.com/0c74H7zBR5

— ANI (@ANI) January 2, 2018

(With agency inputs)