Private hospitals withdraw non-essential services for a day
As part of Indian Medical Association’s (IMA) nationwide protest against the National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill, many private hospitals and clinics across the State withdrew non-essential medical services for 24 hours till 6 a.m. on Thursday.
IMA’s call for strike received good response across the State with private hospitals and clinics remaining closed except for emergency services from 6 a.m. on Wednesday to 6 a.m. on Thursday. Government doctors organised agitations against the NMC Bill in government hospitals, S. Kanagasabhapathy, president of IMA-Tamil Nadu State Branch, said.
“We are opposing Section 32 of the Bill that enables unqualified persons to practice medicine. There is also no clarity on National Exit Test (NEXT),” he added. He said it was unnecessary to replace the Medical Council of India with NMC.
About 300 doctors of the Federation of Government Doctors Association (FOGDA) along with IMA Chennai Villivakkam-Ayanavaram branch staged a demonstration at Madras Medical College. “We participated in the protest without affecting patient services. We wore black badges to work to show our opposition to the NMC Bill. We are opposing the Bill in toto. Students already have to appear for National Eligibility cum Entrance Test. Conducting NEXT will add to their burden,” S. Perumal Pillai, a coordinator of FOGDA, said.
