Doctors call off strike after Centre defers Bill

Doctors call off strike after Centre defers Bill

Context

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) called off its 12-hour  strike on Tuesday after the government referred the controversial National Medical Commission Bill, tabled in the Lok Sabha, to a Standing Committee.

It will go now to Standing Committee

IMA’s next step would be to convince the Committee of the many flaws in the Bill.

NMC bill

• The National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill, 2017, seeks to replace the Medical Council of India (MCI) with a new body
• The Bill proposes a government-nominated chairman and members, who will be selected by a committee under the Cabinet Secretary

View of the IMA: Government interference

The medical fraternity is opposing the clause, fearing that the body would effectively be run by the government

A Bridge Course

The Bill also allows practitioners of Ayurveda and other traditional Indian systems of medicine the licence to prescribe allopathic drugs after they have passed a ‘bridge course.’

MCI goes

In its current form, the Bill does away with the MCI and bring in a national licentiate examination.

Government’s view

The government claims that the Bill will ease the processes for colleges to manage undergraduate and postgraduate courses

Old provision

Earlier, the MCI’s approval was needed for establishing, renewing, recognising and increasing seats in an undergraduate course

New proposed provision

Under the new proposal, permission needs to be sought only for establishment and recognition.

IMA

• The IMA said that the NMC would not be “national” as it did not represent all States
• In its merging of Ayush with modern medicine, it posed a potential threat to patients and was as risky as an untested medical “trial.”