Page 2 - Indian Medical Association

Too little, too late: IMA on forming panel to mull on law to protect medics

The health ministry's decision to form a panel for deliberating on a central law to protect healthcare workers is "too little and too late" as it just needs political will to bring a legislation on the matter, IMA chief Dr R V Asokan said on Friday. As resident doctors across the country held protests over the alleged rape and killing of a trainee women doctor in a state-run medical college and hospital in Kolkata, demanding a central law to protect them, Asokan told PTI that the government is reluctant to acknowledge that there is violence against doctors and hospitals. "But you cannot run away from the reality," he said. There is a draft bill that was prepared in 2019 after stakeholders' consultation but it never went to Parliament, he pointed out. "There is a thinking in the government to refer it to an expert committee to look at the possibility of a bill, but that will be too little and too late. Because, everything is in place. It only needs political will to push the button,

Women lead 9 of 46 associations of IMA, one female president so far: Study

Only nine of 46 associations under India's largest and oldest professional medical association, the IMA, are currently led by women, suggesting a "negligible" representation in its leadership, according to a study. Further, of the 92 individuals who have served as the presidents since the Indian Medical Association's (IMA's) inception in 1928, only one was a woman, said a team of researchers, including those from The George Institute for Global Health, New Delhi. They looked at the current and past leaderships of the professional medical associations, including the Indian Public Health Association (IPHA) and those of all broad medical and surgical specialties. Unequal gender representation persists even in the medical associations closely involved in women's health such as obstetrics and gynaecology, pediatrics and neonatology, highlighting a male dominance, the authors said in the study published in the journal PLoS Global Public Health. "For instance, the National Neonatology For

'Allopathy medicines are poison': Ramdev stirs row days after SC reprimand

Ramdev's fresh statement followed two days after the Supreme Court closed contempt proceedings against Patanjali Ayurved co-founders for misleading the public through ill-informed advertisements

IMA announces nationwide withdrawal of services by doctors on August 17

In response to the brutal crime at R G Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, Indian Medical Association has announced a nationwide withdrawal of services by doctors for 24 hours on Aug 17

Medical bodies condemn mob attack on protesting doctors in Kolkata

Strike continues for fourth day; doctor bodies call for protest march in Delhi

Doctor murder: Junior doctors' strike continues, give deadline to police

Junior doctors across West Bengal continued ceasework on Tuesday protesting the rape and murder of a woman doctor at a state-run medical college and hospital in Kolkata and demanding justice for her. The stir affected healthcare services as long queues of patients were seen at out-patient departments (OPDs) of all government hospitals since early Tuesday morning as senior doctors were substituting their junior counterparts to address the rush. The agitating junior doctors, who have been pressing for magisterial probe into the killing of the woman doctor, on Tuesday set a deadline of August 14 for the Kolkata Police to complete their investigation. "The ceasework and protest will continue till our demands are met. We have been very clear about our demands. We want a judicial probe into the incident," a protesting junior doctor at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital said. "Why do they need a deadline till Sunday? We are asking the police to complete their investigation by ...

IMA demands law to curb attacks on medical staff, wants 2019 bill revived

The Indian Medical Association has written to Union Health Minister J P Nadda seeking enactment of a special central law to curb attacks and violence against doctors as a "deterrence" measure, besides the declaration of hospitals as safe zones. The IMA made the demands, which included defined security measures, as resident doctors at government hospitals across the country held protests and strikes on Monday over the recent rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee in Kolkata, raising the issue of the safety of medical staff in the workplace. The Association said that 25 states have laws on attacks on doctors and hospitals but these are mostly ineffective on the ground and do not serve the purpose of deterrence. "The absence of a special central enactment is one of the reasons. We kindly request you to reconsider introducing the Draft Legislation "The Healthcare Service Personnel and Clinical Establishments (Prohibition of violence and damage to property) Bill, 2019, incorporating t

Patanjali case: SC tells IMA chief to personally apologise for remarks

The court is hearing a petition filed by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) against Patanjali's advertisements attacking allopathy and making claims about curing certain diseases

Patanjali case: SC orders IMA President to publish apology using own money

Patanjali misleading ads case: The Supreme Court ordered IMA President RV Asokan to issue apology in leading newspapers and to cover its cost himself

SC asks Uttarakhand govt to decide on suspension of 14 Patanjali products

Licences for 14 Ayurvedic products by Patanjali and Divya Pharmacy were suspended by the Uttarakhand government. However, on July 1, the state government revoked its suspension order

Haryana govt accepts doctors' demands, indefinite protest called off

Government doctors ended their indefinite strike on Saturday following assurances from the Haryana government that their demands would be accepted, the chief of the association leading the shutdown said. The doctors resumed their duties after the strike was called off. The shutdown was lifted following a meeting between representatives of the protesting doctors and Amit Aggarwal -- additional principal secretary to the Haryana chief minister -- late on Friday, Haryana Civil Medical Services Association president Dr Rajesh Khyalia said. "We have called off the strike," he said. The government has accepted the doctors' demands and assured to notify those before August 15, he added. The doctors are demanding a career progression scheme that ensures parity with their central government peers, reduction in the bond amount for admission to postgraduate courses from Rs 1 crore to Rs 50 lakh and formation of a specialist cadre for them. Around 3,000 government doctors had gone on an ...

IMA announces national alliance of medical professionals to tackle AMR

AMR occurs when bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites no longer respond to antimicrobial medicines such as antibiotics, antibacterials, and antivirals, according to the World Health Organisation

Invoke protective provision in case of medical negligence: IMA to PM

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighting that an investigating officer should invoke the protective provision under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita in cases of alleged criminal medical negligence. The IMA pointed out that there is no criminal intent (mens rhea) on the part of a doctor while treating a patient and there is no negligence to attract criminal prosecution. "Union Home Minister Amit Shah ji acknowledged on the floor of the Parliament that death during treatment is not murder. The new BNS legislation brought up by your Government reflects on this aspect in section 26. IMA kindly request the Government that the investigating officer invoke this provision in cases of alleged medical negligence. In the rarest of rare cases which might be considered as recklessness the investigating officer may prefer the case to an expert committee for opinion," the IMA said in the letter sent recently. When contacted, IMA President Dr R V Asok

IMA jr doctors demand CBI inquiry into alleged irregularities in NEET 2024

In a recent NEET result declaration, 67 students bagged the top rank, including six from the same exam centre

IMA president tenders apology in SC for statements against apex court

Indian Medical Association (IMA) president R V Asokan on Tuesday tendered an unconditional apology to the Supreme Court and expressed regret for his statement against the apex court in an interview to PTI where he answered queries about Patanjali Ayurved Ltd's misleading advertisements case. The matter came up for hearing before a bench of justices Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah which posed some tough questions to Asokan and made it clear that at this stage, the apex court will not accept his affidavit tendering unconditional apology. In an affidavit filed in the top court, Asokan said he has realised his error that he ought not have made such statements in the interview when the matter was under consideration of the court. "The deponent (Asokan) hereby tenders his unconditional apology and expresses regret for his statements in relation to the order dated April 23, 2024 passed by this court in the present writ petition," the affidavit said. In its April 23 order, the apex cou

'Can't sit on a couch and say anything': Supreme Court raps IMA president

IMA President Dr RV Asokan drew sharp criticism from the Supreme Court for his remarks concerning the court's ruling in a case involving misleading advertisements by Patanjali Ayurved

India's unhealthy truths

Our healthcare is marred by poor infrastructure, negligence, and pharma-doctor collusion. Sumanth C Raman's book exposes all this and more, questioning why it doesn't evoke as much anger in Indians

AstraZeneca admits Covishield has rare side effect: Is concern warranted?

AstraZeneca's acknowledgment that the vaccine may lead to thrombosis isn't a new revelation, but it underscores the need for transparent communication by the pharma companies, say experts

Patanjali, misleading ads, and art of puffery: When brands take it too far

The Supreme Court has come down heavily on Patanjali Ayurved. Advertising, however, is full of examples where brands have taken it too far

Doctors to get exemption from prosecution in negligence cases: Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah said the Centre plans to amend the Criminal Law Bill to exempt doctors from criminal prosecution in cases of deaths due to medical negligence