Bringing transparency to the medical sector is a top concern for the government as mentioned in parliament when Health Minister J P Nadda presented the national medical commission bill 2017. But, protest across the country has already started under the Indian medical association, which is the largest body of professional doctors in India with an estimated number of 2.5 lakhs medical professionals registered.
They believe that this bill will kill medical profession in India, and make doctors answerable to the executive, who is unaware of the process how the medical process works. The cabinet cleared the draft of the national medical commission, and the bill was tabled in the Lok Sabha for discussion. A few of the Congress leaders, such as Jairam Ramesh has also raised his concern over the bill saying this bill is unfair to the doctors.
IMA AND HEALTH
Indian Medical Association President K.K Agrawal said this bill will bring quackery in the medical sector. The team from IMA even had a meeting with the health minister J P Nadda but after the meeting, they could not reach any concrete results.
They have also written a letter to the Prime Minister asking him to look into the matter or act for a day in their Place. Hence, they have decided to go on strike, and stop general services for 12 hours but emergency services will run as usual. OPD Services may be affected due to strike in many states. Doctors in the state of Kerala also went on strike citing the National Medical commission bill.
Government doctors in the TamilNadu State hospitals are observing Black day tomorrow by wearing black badges, and not attending OPD Patients for an hour. This outrage against the bill has been going on since the cabinet approved the draft of NMC bill. Health Minister J P Nadda said that as the bill has been introduced in the parliament, let the representatives decide the fate of the bill.
The Contentious Issues In the Bill are mentioned below which doctors think will not help Medical Profession.
- Introduction to Bridge Course to let the Practitioners of homoeopathy, Ayurveda, Unani, naturopathy become the Allopathy doctors by taking a small course.
- Removal Of Medical Council Of India, and creation of four autonomous Bodies to look after all the affairs in the medical sector, such as undergraduate and postgraduate courses, Medical colleges and university seat allocation etc.
- Introduction of Licentiate or a kind of exit examination for every medical graduate before giving them license or opportunity for further studies.
- Provision of allowing Private medical colleges to fix their fee and seats for medical studies.
The future of the Bill is still in the parliament but doctors have raised their objections to the bill. Given a large number of corruption cases in the MCI, and unregulated medical practice, this bill proposes enough checks and balances to bring transparent medical education and Transparent medical practice in the country.
The Bill will be discussed in the parliament, and it remains to be seen what amendments are proposed by the members of the parliament, and also if those amendments are included in the final National medical commission Bill, 2017.
