IMA calls for strike over NMC Bill tomorrow

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 6

OPDs of all private as well as the Government Multi-Specialty Hospital (GMSH), Sector 16, and the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32, will remain non-functional from 6 am on August 8 to 6 am the next day in response to a call given for a strike by the Indian Medical Association (IMA).

Dr Rajesh Dhir, president of the IMA, Chandigarh, said emergencies, ICUs and wards would function as usual during the strike, which was called in protest against the National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill.

He said the government had passed the ‘draconian’ NMC Bill in an undemocratic way under the category of the Money Bill.

Section 32 of the NMC Bill provides for licensing of 3.5 lakh unqualified non-medical persons to practise modern medicine. The term community health provider has been vaguely defined to allow anyone connected with modern medicine to get registered in the NMC and be licensed to practise modern medicine. This means persons without medical background will become eligible to practise modern medicine and prescribe independently. This law would legalise quackery, he said.

The undemocratic structure of the NMC council, which reduces the checks on private medical collages in terms of fee structure and number of seats, was also being opposed by the IMA, Chandigarh, he said.

Emergencies, ICUs and wards will function as usual during the strike, which has been called in protest against the National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill.—  Dr Rajesh Dhir, president of the IMA, Chandigarh