IMA opposes centre proposed National Medical Commission Bill

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) was opposing the National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill, proposed by the Centre, as it was against the interests of the medical profession and would cause injustice to the public, IMA national president Ravi Wankhedkar said.

Mr. Ravi Wankhedkar, who is on a one-month Bharat Yatra, which began on February 25, said the proposed Bill would affect about six lakh doctors and 400 medical colleges in the country. The Centre was planning to scrap the Medical Council of India (MCI) and bring in NMC, much to the detriment of the medical profession, he said.

Besides, the NMC Bill would pave the way for corruption and bring down the standards. Introduction of the Bill is nothing but a direct attack on the Constitution, he said.

House panel

“Last month, government constituted a Parliamentary Standing Committee to study the new Bill, which was deliberating with the stakeholders. We suggested many amendments to the Bill,” he said at a press conference here on Tuesday.

Actually, 20% of the healthcare should be provided by



the government, but not even 1% of the GDP was being spent on health sector, he alleged and demanded that the government fill the vacant doctor posts in all government hospitals.

PG NEET

The association was also opposing the PG NEET, conducted on January 7 this year, as a doctor’s performance should be tested on practical, theoretical and clinical knowledge, but not on one aspect, Mr. Ravi Wankhedkar said.

IMA State president Jaya Shekar said the NMC Bill had been opposed by Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Odisha, West Bengal, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and other states, but the Centre was still going ahead with it. Doctors across the country would discuss the issue at the ‘Doctors Maha Panchayat’ in New Delhi on March 25, he said.

“IMA is holding discussions with the members of the Federation of Medical Association, Junior Doctors Association and other bodies on the Bill,” said IMA Vijayawada president M. Subhas Chandra Bose.

Association city secretary Dr. Rasik Sanghvi, national coordinator M. Appa Rao, C.S.R. Prasada Rao and other members were present.