Services in some of the private hospitals in the national capital was affected today after the out-patient department (OPD) remain closed as doctors joined a protest by the Indian Medical Association (IMA), demanding among others a stringent law to curb increasing cases of violence against them by kin of patients.
Over 70,000 doctors, including representatives of national medical associations such as Federation of Obstetrics and Gynaecological Societies of India (FOGSI), Association of Physicians of India (API) and the Cardiological Society of India (CSI), participated in the IMA's 'Dilli Chalo movement', a protest march which started from Rajghat and ended at Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium.
Those who could not make it to the spot, joined the march digitally over a live webcast.
Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) International Working President Pravin Togadia, who was present at the event, demanded withdrawal of the Central Clinical Establishment Act (CCEA) as it deprives two-third of patients from medical treatment and will force close down of private clinics.
The OPDs at some private hospitals remained closed till 2 pm. At some of the hospitals online/telephonic appointments were taken while walk-in patients were provided consultations.
Some hospitals kept their OPDs open though some of their doctors extended moral support to the protest.
The emergency services in all the hospitals were open.
"This is one of the toughest times for the medical fraternity. This satyagraha comes after the realisation that enough is enough, and that repeated pleas and appeals by the medical fraternity have materialised into nothing but reassurances," IMA national president K K Aggarwal said.
In a joint statement, former IMA president Marthanda Pillai and IMA president-elect Ravi Wankhedkar said, "It is imperative for both doctors and patients to understand that their relationship is a sacred one and that the dignity of the profession needs to be upheld.
"This movement should not be misconstrued as a strike or an agitation of any kind. Its sole aim is to serve as a wake- up call to the government and take urgent action."
The protesting doctors have sought a stringent central law to stop violence on doctors, professional autonomy in treatment and prescriptions and amendments in the Pre- Conception, Pre-Natal Diagnostic Technique Act (PC-PNDT) and the CCEA and the West Bengal CEA Act.
The IMA also launched a signature campaign over the issue on social media and urged all doctors to collect thousands of signatures which would be sent to the Centre seeking action.
They have also demanded single window registration of doctors and medical establishments, uniform final MBBS exam instead of "NEXT", uniform service conditions for service doctors and faculty, fair conduction of NEET exam and central anti-quackery law among others.
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