New Delhi|HL
Around three lakh Medical professionals from Indian Medical Association (IMA) will protest across the country on Wednesday against some of the government’s policies .
According to a release by the body, IMA is organising this demonstration in protest of the government’s National Medical Commission Bill, among other things.
“The inter-ministerial committee formed last year has not been able to satisfy the medical community as it can only recommend. The medical fraternity wants time bound solutions,” stated IMA.
The National Medical Commission Bill drafted by a high-level committee to replace the existing Medical Council of India is “non democratic” and the government should instead focus on making the MCI Act “stringent”, according to IMA.
IMA also seeks a central act to cover violence against medical professionals while on duty.
Other demands include ensuring that dangerous schedule H, H1 and X drugs are not prescribed by non-MBBS or non-BDS doctors and that compensation against the doctor’s professional deficiency should not be decided by the income of the patient to avoid any “discrimination” in treatment of poor and rich patients.
“Instead, the formula used in deciding compensation in any clinical trial should be used. The compensation should be capped,” stated IMA.
The protest, decided during the body’s central working committee meeting in Chennai, will not affect access to treatment for patients, according to IMA honorary secretary general KK Aggarwal.
‘Dharnas’ will be held in 500 districts from 11pm to 1pm on November 16, said Aggarwal. In Delhi, IMA members intend to protest at Jantar Mantar.
