Telangana: Doctors' association to protest against National Medical Commission bill

Hyderabad: A total of 1,700 branches of Indian Medical Association (IMA) will observe IMA Satyagraha on November 16 against the non-democratic National Medical Commission bill and violence against doctors. A dharna will be organised in every district from 11 to 1pm by the doctors.

IMA national president Dr S S Agarwal said, “IMA has been fighting for its six major demands which were to be discussed in detail in the inter-ministerial committee formed last year. This committee comprised officials from the health ministry, the drug controller, IMA doctors and MCI members. But this committee has not been able to come to any conclusion about our problems.”

The IMA has demanded a central act to cover violence against medical professionals while on duty. Dr Yadgiri Rao, senior member of IMA said, “We want the patients fee pattern to be structured so that there is a uniform rate for treatment atleast where there are established protocols.”

IMA has also demanded that single doctor clinic must be brought out of the purview of the clinical establishment act. There must not be any penal provisions for clerical mistakes in various acts including PC-PNDT Act. The IMA has demanded strict implementation of the act on schedule H, H1 and Z drugs which are prescribed by non-MBBS or non BDS doctors. They have also stated that compensation against professional deficiency should not be decided on the basis of income of the patient to avoid any discrimination in the treatment of the poor and the rich. The IMA wants a cap on the compensation.

Dr Agarwal said, “We have taken up with the committee these issues and want them to be resolved in a certain time-frame. We can’t keep on discussing these issues. There has to be strict implementation at the ground level so that doctors can practice properly.”