Doctors at private hospitals to strike work at OPDs on Tuesday against new medical Bill

Doctors claim the new Bill will legalise quackery and promote corruption. 500 private doctors will sit on a one-day strike at the Huda Gymkhana Club; medical services are likely to be hit.

Doctors in private hospitals will not attend to patients in the out patient department (OPD) on Tuesday in protest against a central bill, which seeks to replace the Medical Council of India (MCI) with the new body under the National Medical Commission Act (NMCA).

Private doctors in Gurgaon held a meeting in Huda Gymkhana club on December 15 to discuss the new Bill. (HT File Photo)

As many as 500 private doctors will sit on a one-day strike at the Huda Gymkhana Club. While medical services are likely to be hit due to the protest, emergency services will remain unaffected.

According to members of the Indian Medical Association, the National medical Commission (NMC) bill was tabled in Parliament on December 29 and discussions on it will take place on Wednesday.

The Gurgaon IMA members gathered at the Huda Gymkhana Club on Monday evening and decided to strike work to register their protest.

“The proposed Act is not acceptable to us as it will encourage malpractice and will result in more people practising medicine without licence across the country. Private medical colleges will increase their fees and hospital charges as per their wish, nullifying whatever solace the National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET) brought. Aspirants will be unable to get admission to reputed medical colleges on merit, as 50% seats will be reserved,” Dr. Anil Hans, secretary, Indian Medical Association, Haryana, said.

The IMA members have already written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union health minister JP Nadda requesting them to redraft the bill and mend several provisions to protect the interest of doctors who hold MBBS degree.

“The new Act will allow AYUSH (Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy) graduates to practice allopathy after completing a bridge course,” Dr. Munish Prabhakar, president, IMA Haryana, said.

“How can the government think of abolishing a democratic institution and replace it with a new body?” Hans asked.

If the Bill is passed in the Parliament, the commission will have a government-nominated chairman and members. The board members will be selected by a search committee under the cabinet secretary.

Earlier on December 15, city doctors had held a similar protest against the Clinical Establishment Act, 2010, citing provisions which they claimed were against their interests.

Why doctors are opposing the Bill

It will legalise quackery by enabling Ayush to practice Modern medicine after a bridge course. Doctors have called this a public health disaster.

Bill will restrict doctors holding MBBS degree from practising and decrease their clinical acumen, as it imposes licentiate exam

It will increase corruption as there are many flaws in granting permission to medical colleges

Medical education will become unaffordable as private managements will get to decide fees for 60 to 100% seats

The National Medical Commission will be a nominated body. Doctors said this is against the federal structure, as the states will lose representation