Doctors across India protest against NMC Bill, hold nationwide strike

Outpatient Department (OPD) services are likely to be hampered due to the strike but Emergency, casualty, ICU and other related services are expected to remain unaffected.
NEW DELHI: Doctors across the country are holding a ‘token’ strike with all non-essential services being withdrawn to protest against the passage of National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill 2019 in the Lok Sabha. Outpatient Department (OPD) services are likely to be hampered due to the strike but Emergency, casualty, ICU and other related services are expected to remain unaffected. The Indian Medical Association (IMA), the largest body of doctors and students in the country, has urged all doctors to participate in the strike.
The NMC Bill which was passed by the Lok Sabha on July 29 seeks to create the National Medical Commission (NMC) in place of Medical Council of India (MCI). The Bill also proposes a common final-year MBBS examination, known as National Exit Test (NEXT), for admission to post-graduate medical courses and for obtaining a license to practice medicine. Besides this, the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET), common counselling and NEXT would be applicable to institutes of national importance like AIIMS in order to achieve a common standard in medical education in the country. The Bill was passed with 260 members voting in its favour and 48 against it.
Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, will stage a protest along against the National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill 2019.
“In response to the call by the Indian Medical Association and Resident Doctors Associations across the country. The ARD PGIMER Chandigarh has its full and unconditional support for the cause of nationwide protest against NMC Bill,” the organisation said in a press statement.
Calling the Bill “draconian,” PGIMER stated that lower house dumped health care and medical education of this country into darkness by approving undemocratic NMC Bill 2019.
The IMA on its website said that by the passage of the Bill, the Lok Sabha has ‘dumped healthcare and medical education of this country into darkness’. “The Lok Sabha has approved and passed the draconian NMC Bill yesterday. The democratic lower house has dumped healthcare and medical education of this country into darkness by approving the undemocratic National Medical Commission Bill 2019. IMA HQ calls for 24 hours withdrawal of non essential services on Wednesday 31.07.2019 in protest,” the association said on its website.
Doctors went on strike from 6 am on Wednesday which will continue till Thursday morning. All non-essential services have been withdrawn in the strike. The IMA said that some doctors will also be going on hunger strike during the day.