Resident doctors strike update: Services at private hospitals in India are likely to be hit on Tuesday as the Indian Medical Association has called for suspending routine services for 12 hours in protest against the National Medical Commission Bill without understanding NMC bill pros and cons, which seeks to replace Medical Council of India with a new body. The bill is likely to be debated in Parliament on Tuesday. OPDs of private hospitals may be hit but emergency and critical services will be open, officials said.
The national medical commission bill features also proposes to allow alternative medicine graduates to practice allopathy after completing a Bridge course for ayush doctors. In response to the doctor’s strike, the Union health ministry said it has written to all Centre-run hospitals such as Safdarjung, Ram Manohar Lohia, AIIMS and Lady Hardinge Medical College, to make necessary arrangements to ensure that patient care and emergency services are run smoothly.
Besides, Indian Medical Association president Ravi Wankhede said, that the IMA strongly opposes the bill and has no option but to take the issues to its patients and the people. To register this resident doctors strike, medical routine services like the OPD and elective surgeries across the country have been withdrawn between 6am and 6pm at the IMA member hospitals and health institutions.
Another issue pondering over the IMA is the pro-private management clause and Ayush bridge courses. The National Medical Commission Bill allows ayurvedic as well as homeopathic doctors to practice allopathy after a six month bridge course, while the IMA has raised allegations like no separate registrations for Ayush, minimum qualification of MBBS for a doctor seeking to practice modern medicine, and absolutely no provision for bridge courses making NMC bill status unpredictable
Further more, Medical council of India which regulates the number of MBBS graduating each year will also get affected according to IMA. The Inadian medical association says, that the bill seeks to do away with the permissions, creating a situation where private medical colleges will be able to increase undergraduate and post graduate seats without the approval of regulator.
Resident doctors strike News No.1 : Private hospitals too join protest
Resident doctors strike News No.2 : Despite MARD appeal, doctors continue strike
Resident doctors strike News No.3 : Failure of health system
Resident doctors strike News No.4 : IMA joins mass leave; OPD bandh may cripple pvt. services
Resident doctors strike News No.5 : Resident doctors refuse to resume work
Resident doctors strike News No.6 : Bombay High Court directs hospital managements to take disciplinary action
Resident doctors strike News No.7 : PIL at Bombay HC wants docs to call off strike
