Against NMC bill: Govt doctors in Tamil Nadu observe Black Day

Chennai: Doctors at government hospitals across Tamil Nadu observed ‘Black Day’ against the proposed National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill by suspending outpatient services for an hour from 9.30 am to 10.30 am on Tuesday.

Doctors and nurses in government hospitals resumed work only after 10.30 am, while patients waited at out-patient blocks, clinics, laboratories and pathology.
PG students staged the protest on Madras Medical College campus wearing black badges and black armbands and held placards against the NMC bill.
Indian Medical Association had also declared a 12-hour nation-wide protest from 6 am to 6 pm on Tuesday and many clinics, laboratories and private hospitals struck outpatient services since morning. However, IMA state president Dr. A. Jayalal said that most hospitals in the state supported the strike and suspended the outpatient services, but emergency services and inpatient services were functional.

IMA called off the strike after the bill was referred to a parliamentary standing committee after recommendations from medical associations and has been asked to give its report before the Budget session.

Union health minister J P Nadda had earlier said that the bill is beneficial for all the sectors of the medical profession and will aid to raise the medical education standards. “The talks are on with IMA and we have heard the doctors to clear their doubts,” he said.

Earlier, Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) youth wing leader Anbumani Ramadoss had recommended either withdrawing the Bill or referring it to a parliamentary standing committee to amend the provisions such as entrance test for MBBS students after graduation to avail practicing license and promotion of alternative medicine.

According to the Bill that proposes to replace Medical Council of India, the National Medical Commission will have a panel of five elected and 12 ex-officio consisting of a government-nominated chairman and members, while the board members will be selected by a search committee under the cabinet secretary.   
However, medicos are demanding the formation of a panel as under the existing structure of Medical Council of India that has only medical doctors as council members.

Doctors alleged that the government is trying to promote practitioners of alternative medicine like homeopathy, Ayush, Unani and others, which are basically unapproved treatments.

Tamil Nadu Government Doctors Association state headquarters secretary Dr P. Balakrishnan said that the provision to allows medical practitioners of Indian medicine to practice allopathic medicine following a bridge course should be dropped from the Bill.

Out-patient services affected due to one-hour strike

The one-hour strike by government doctors led to overcrowding of out-patient blocks on Tuesday, while services remained suspended between 09.30 am to 10.30 am. Out-patient services were also affected in private hospitals on Tuesday after IMA declared to strike work for 12 hours against the National Medical Commission Bill.

The strike beginning at 6 am on Tuesday was called off after the bill was moved to a parliamentary standing committee. More than 30,000 doctors participated in the protest and resumed duty after the strike was called off late afternoon. Emergency and in-patient services were functional as normal. Members of IMA have been opposing the move declaring it anti-poor and undemocratic in nature, as it will take away the right of doctors to elect their council.