Govt doctors’ protest against National Medical Commission Bill: Functioning of outpatient wards affected in TN

Pushpa Narayan and R Gokul | TNN | Jan 2, 2018, 13:58 IST

 

CHENNAI: Several doctors across Tamil Nadu on Tuesday boycotted outpatient duty and shut clinics to protest against the National Medical Commission Bill which has been introduced in the Parliament. The outpatient wards in all most all government hospitals were crowded and patients had to wait as doctors struck work for an hour from 9.30am.

Several scan centres and laboratories were closed. Most doctors wore back badges and doctors bodies called it a Black Day.

IMA state president Dr A Jayalal said most hospitals in the state were closed. "But emergency services are available and surgeries are going on," he said.

The Bill proposes to replace the Medical Council of India (MCI). It also proposes to allow practitioners of alternative medicines like homoeopathy and ayurveda to practise modern medicine after attending a short-term "bridge course."

Tamil Nadu Government Doctor Association president Dr K Senthil said, "If the government allows 'crosspathy, then it must ensure that all these doctors work exclusively in government hospitals. It should be made mandatory for all elected members of the government and bureaucrats to take treatment only in the government hospitals even during emergencies."

Top Comment

These doctors ll ultimately go to rural areas where no MBBS doctor is ready to work. Very good step by Modi Govt.Ritesh Nikhil

In Trichy district, outpatient treatment was hit in around 150 nursing homes and hospitals. As many as 2,000 doctors in Trichy city and suburbs took part in the boycott.

"We strongly condemn the National Medical Commission Bill. The MCI should be status quo. While MCI is governed by 80 elected members, the NMC is proposed to have 25 nominated members which would lead to a lot of confusion. It will lead to mushrooming of private medical colleges without any permission, and it will affect the medical education," said former IMA national president Dr MS Ashraf in Trichy.