IMA Seeks Stronger Laws To Protect Doctors From Attacks

Vijayawada: Newly appointed Andhra Pradesh IMA state president Dr Sangaraju Balaraju has urged the state government to strengthen laws protecting doctors and hospitals, citing rising assaults on medical professionals across the country.

Taking charge at the IMA state office in Vijayawada on Sunday, he said the existing AP Non-Bailable Offences Act (Protection of Medical Service Persons and Medical Institutions), 2008, which prescribes a two-year jail term, needs amendment. He pointed out that as per Supreme Court guidelines, non-bailable arrests apply only to offences carrying a minimum seven-year sentence, making the current provisions ineffective.

Dr Balaraju called for a national Medical Protection Act, pending for years, and sought a uniform police SOP to prevent frivolous medical negligence cases. He said FIRs must be registered only after scrutiny by a three-member expert committee.

Emphasising that 60 per cent of patients in AP depend on private hospitals, he urged the government to clear pending NTR Vaidya Seva dues, revise package rates, and introduce single-window clearance for hospital licences. He also demanded strict action against untrained practitioners prescribing strong antibiotics in violation of NMC guidelines.

He said the IMA, with four lakh members nationwide and over 22,000 in AP, supports all medical systems but opposes allowing AYUSH practitioners to practise allopathy without proper training.

Senior IMA officials, including former president Dr G. Nandakishore and president-elect Dr P.S. Sharma, attended the meeting.