IMA Goa to withdraw Nonessential Medical Services on Aug 8 as mark of protest against NMC Bill

Indian Medical Association (IMA) Goa State Branch on Tuesday has called for a 24-hour withdrawal of "Nonessential Medical Services" on August 8 to oppose the National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill passed by the Parliament recently.

However, the Emergency, Causality and ICU services would function normally without any disruption as directed by the IMA Headquarters.

"We will observe a protest by withdrawing non-essential medical services for 24 hours on Thursday. Non-Essential Services, however, excludes the Emergency, Causality and ICU services and these shall function as usual," said Dr. Anil Mehndiratta, IMA Goa State president in an official statement.

Doctors across the nation have been raising voice against various sections of the bill terming it to be a way to encourage and legalise quackery and downgrade the quality of medical and healthcare services.

 

"On one side we talk about improvements in the healthcare system and if you read section 32 of this bill, it provides for licensing persons connected with the modern scientific medical profession to practice medicine independently in primary and preventive healthcare and prescribe medicine in secondary and tertiary care hospital which means that he can practice as a General Practitioner anywhere in India" the official statement added.

IMA also condemned section 32 with section 50 and 51 which enables one to understand the dimension of the catastrophe awaiting the nation.

Dr. Mehndiratta said, "Section 50 promotes a cross pathy, ultimately the idea is to produce in thousands 'Hybrid doctors' for the future generations of India. The quality of care available in India today will be lost for generations of Indians."

"The major concern, however, remains the National EXIT Test. Final MBBS, Licentiate exam and NEET PG are being rolled into one. National EXIT Test will consist of Theory and Clinical which will award the degree and also the license for the practice," he added.

IMA had expressed concern over the bill and called for a three-day strike on August 8 to censure the Bill.

However, Union Minister Harsh Vardhan hailed the bill as 'historic' and said that it will benefit doctors and medical students.

The NMC Bill will replace the Medical Council of India by a National Medical Commission. It will decrease the representation of elected members from 75 per cent in MCI to 20 per cent in NMC.