To protest against the central government's decision to go ahead with the proposed National Medical Commission Bill (NMC Bill) that seeks to replace the Medical Council of India (MCI), the Indian Medical Association (IMA) is planning to hold a national satyagraha all over the country on November 16. Besides, the association is also annoyed over the indifferent attitude of the government over the association's long pending demands.
In fact, the association had planned to organise the national satyagraha on November 16 last year, but it was abandoned as the government formed an inter-ministerial committee to look into the long pending demands of the association. Now, the association has decided to organise a national satyagraha as they had planned last year to get their demands fulfilled, although the satyagraha was abandoned last year after the government's assurance to look into the demands.
Dr. ShivKumar Utture, member of the IMA working committee says, “There was an inter-ministerial committee that was formed by the government to look into the demands of the association. Even after one year of the formation of the committee, nothing has happened, only two meetings had happened. So, we are again planning to hold a national satyagraha this year on the same date that was decided last year, on November 16.”
He further says, “This year we have included the abandonment of NMC Bill along with the demands for amendments of Clinical Establishments Act, PCPNDT Act and withdrawal of B.Sc Community Health programme.”
The major concern of the association is that the NMC will have non-elected members and everybody will be nominated by the government. The association is of the view that the IMC Act 1956 should be suitably amended to retain and strengthen its self regulatory role, by minimising interference from the government and other lobbies.
The association is also demanding that their pending demands should also be solved by the government. The association has been demanding to the government to frame a central act for prevention of assault on doctors and health institutions; capping of compensation; amendment in PCPNDT Act; amendment in Clinical Establishment Act and introduction of Anti Quackery Bill.