IMA opposes NMC Bill 2019, concerns raised last year still unaddressed
Source: IT News

New Delhi, July 24 2019: The emergency Action Committee of IMA, today has decided to oppose NMC Bill 2019.Fighting against the NMC bill since 2016, IMA believes that the bill has only undergone cosmetic changes and the core concerns raised by IMA is still unaddressed.

Though the deleterious clauses have been retained in the bill, but the addition of Section 32 that legalizes quackery by empowering community health providers to practice medicine will only endanger the lives of people.

This is the single largest threat to the Health of the nation.

"The decision to couple NEXT and NEET lacks vision and clarity and is absurd.

While the Licenciate examination will license the minimum qualified person to practice medicine, NEET will be selecting the best students aspiring for post graduate medical education.

This will prevent over 50 percent of the qualified MBBS graduates from practicing modern medicine.

This will also give rise to quackery as the Government will allow the quacks, who are hardly 30% of the total doctor's population to practice under the pretext of 'Shortage of Doctor'." Said Dr Santanu Sen, National President, IMA.

"IMA at all costs is against this decision as this will also increase the health safety concerns of the common public.

The Government in their wisdom are refusing license to practice to qualified MBBS graduates coming out of our Medical Colleges every year, but promoting indirect quackery." He added .

The other clause includes - Provision to fix fee of private medical colleges capped to 50% of the seats has been further diluted to framing guidelines only.

"Now 100% of the private medical seats will be deregulated regarding the fees subject to nonbinding guidelines.

Medical education in the country will become expensive placing the lower socio-economic groups in great disadvantage.

This effectively removes poor and middle class reckoning for such seats.

However lack of clarity on implementation has jeopardized the decision itself." Said Dr RV Asokan, Hony Secretary General, IMA .

IMA opposes NMC Bill 2019 since it violates the following 6 cardinal principles of autonomy, exclusivity, patient safety, right to democracy, federalism and equal opportunities.

Taking into account that more than 279 out of India's 500 plus medical colleges are in private sector and the eligibility criteria to open a medical college has been further diluted to include all companies and even private partnerships the commercialization of India's medical education is complete.

"There has never been a blatant pro rich bias of this intensity.

The NMC bill is a pro-private management Bill paving the way for widespread corruption.

This goes to say that all arguments of the Government are hollow and its intention is malafide and harmful.

Rural healthcare is bound to improve only by starting new Government medical colleges and wisely deploying the medical manpower." Added Dr Rajan Sharma, National President - Elect, IMA .

IMA is convinced that NMC Bill 2019 requires serious mind application by the Parliamentarians.

It would strike the death knell of medical profession in the current format.

IMA reserves the right to wage a struggle against this black law in a format and time space of its choice taking the people into confidence.

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