The highly controversial National Medical Commission bill has been sent by Lok Sabha to the parliamentary standing committee on health, and the panel’s report is expected to come before the budget session. The National medical commission bill status at present hangs in the balance as the protest by the IMA continue against the bill, who claim that Bridge course for ayush doctors will lead to major flaws in Indian healthcare.
The national medical commission bill features, which aimed at the development and regulation of all aspects related to medical education, medical profession and medical institutions, will bring transparency and ensure a reform without discrepancies.
However, the IMA has pointed out several objections in the national medical commission bill 2017, including the section 49, which would enable practitioners of the homeopathy in the Indian system of medicine to prescribe medicine after completion of a NMC bridge course.
The nationwide protest by the doctor’s body leading to several private hospitals being shut down after a group of 3 lakh doctors went on strike. Though, the resident doctors strike was called off after the Lok Sabha referred the bill to standing committee as current National medical commission bill status.
“It is not scientific because you cannot have a doctor practicing two systems of medicine together,”said former IMA national president KK Aggarwal.
The bill is anti-poor because it allows medical colleges to set fees over 50% of its seats, he said.
“We hope they (standing committee) will call IMA for discussion,” asserted the former President, adding that IMA has better recommendations and has already started drafting those to amend this bill.
There are many NMC bill pros and cons in which the bill, proposed by a four-member Niti Aayog committee in 2016, was modified by a group of ministers in July 2017 before receiving the approval from the cabinet last month. The Medical Council of India has a history of criticisms that continuously point to committee being corrupt and unfair in its operations.
Moreover, the bill is expected to decrease the authority of the Medical council of India, which could see the number of MBBS graduating increase each year. Additionally, the colleges under the new bill would be eligible to add the number of undergraduate and post graduate seats without seeking anyone’s permission.
The verdict is very important, as we await to see how everything unfolds. Only time will tell whether we will witness IMA protests being heard by the judiciary or National Medical Commission bill 2017 being passed.
