Agitating doctors unhappy, FoRDA threatens to continue strike

Despite meeting Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan to discuss various provisions of the National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill, agitating doctors on Friday threatened to continue their strike.

"We are not happy with the meeting held with the health minister. We are continuing our strike," Dr Sumedh Sandhanshiv, President of Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FoRDA), said.

"I met the agitating resident doctors and looked into their doubts and other misunderstandings regarding the NMC bill. I have also urged them to call off their strike and join their duties for the benefit of the patients. I have also explained to them how NMC will work; how students would get their PGs through NEXT. How practical would be done etc.," Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan told ANI.

"Doctors' issues were related to community health providers. I have explained to them what would be the role of CHPs. It should be noted that CHP is recognised worldwide and both WHO and Lancet journal defined it. In developed and developing countries like USA, Australia, England, China and Africa, CHPs have been established. The NMC will decide on whom to train, how the training would be conducted, whether CHPs require more scientific education or not and how they can be included in primary and preventive healthcare," he added.

"Out of 33 members, there are 29 doctors in NMC. These are highly qualified doctors and have seen health sector from very close quarters," the minister said.

"I assure that NMC bill is a historic bill. It is in favour of doctors, patients, nation and medical students. NMC bill is fully integrated and a visionary revolution to reform the medical education sector. It is a blessing for doctors and our future generation. Those who are not able to understand the fortune of NMC bill will get the fruit of NMC bill in coming years," he added.

Expressing concerns over uncertainty on the entrance exam for post-graduate course/NEXT as per Section 15, Dr Prakash Thakur, President of Resident Doctors Association at Safdarjung Hospital said, "We, doctors from the health sector are agitating and opposing the section 32 of the bill. The NMC bill will open the gates for quackery by providing the license to community health providers to practice scientific medication that does not hold MBBS degree."

"There is no certainty on the entrance exam for the Post-graduate course/NEXT under section 15. We will continue the strike till we are satisfied on the various provision of the NMC bill," he added.

The Rajya Sabha on Thursday approved the National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill, 2019 by a voice vote with Harsh Vardhan saying the Bill will go down in history as the biggest reform of the Narendra Modi government.

A massive protest was staged by doctors from All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS), Safdarjung, Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, Lady Hardinge Hospital, Lok Nayak Jayaprakash Hospital, and Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital in the national capital.

The Bill will replace the Medical Council of India (MCI) by a National Medical Commission. It will also decrease the representation of elected members from 75 per cent in MCI to 20 per cent in NMC.