The Indian Medical Association has called for 24-hour withdrawal of services on Wednesday, in protest against the Lok Sabha passing the National Medical Commission bill.
Calling the Bill undemocratic, the IMA reviewed the situation on Monday and decided to call for 24 hours withdrawal of non-essential services across the nation by modern medicine doctors, from 0600 hrs on Wednesday, till 0600 hrs on Thursday. However, the Emergency, Casualty, ICU and related services will function normally, the IMA added.
Public demonstrations and hunger strikes will be organised by all the state and local branches. All members of the modern medical fraternity are requested to participate. All the medical students are requested to boycott the classes and proclaim solidarity,’ an official statement said un Delhi. As per the IMA, numerous inconsistencies in the Bill will seriously affect the health of the nation.
It said, Section 32 of NMC Bill provides for licensing of 3.5 lakh unqualified non-medical persons to practice modern medicine. The term Community Health Provider has been vaguely defined to allow anyone connected with modern medicine to get registered in NMC and be licensed, to practise modern medicine, the statement added.
According to IMA, this would mean that all paramedics, including the pharmacists, nurses, physiotherapists and optometrists, will be eligible to practice modern medicine and prescribe independently. The association alleged that this law legalises quackery. The mess created by the Bill, regarding the examinations affecting the career generations of medical students cannot be condoned, said the IMA.
(UNI)
