Indian Medical Association Calls For Indefinite Strike From April 2 Over Change In NMC Bill

Rejecting the recommendations of the Parliamentary Standing Committee over the National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has called for an indefinite strike from April 2. More than 25,000 doctors held a ‘mahapanchayat’ at the Indira Gandhi Stadium in Delhi and opposed the parliamentary panel’s recommendations.

The NMC Bill proposed to allow practitioners of alternative medicines like Ayurveda and homoeopathy to practice modern medicine after completing a bridge course. It also proposed that the National Licentiate Examination (NLE) should be made compulsory for any MBBS doctor, including a foreign graduate, to practice medicine in India. The panel has also suggested integrating NLE with the final year MBBS exam. According to the doctors, the panel suggestions are ‘deceptive’.

Ravi Wankhedkar, national president of IMA said that there was no need for the government to make any law if they want to promote Ayush, homoeopathy, pharmacists and dentist.

“The PSC report is deceptive to such an extent that it will open up the floodgates to allow back-door entry to cross-pathy, thereby promoting quackery legally. Even after the cosmetic amendments, the core issues still remain where it is,” he added.

He also pointed out that the provisions to open new medical colleges were ambiguous and the provisions to begin new PG courses were unregulated. “Recommendation to increase the regulation of fee in private medical colleges from 40 to 50 percent does not make a material difference. However, lack of clarity on implementation may jeopardise the decision itself,” Wankhedkar added.