DMA lauds NMC Act, demands Central Health Act for doctors' safety

Delhi Medical Association on Tuesday lauded the National Medical Commission Act, 2019 but sought assurance from Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan to bring Central Health Act, to act against people who assault doctors.

"We are of the opinion that the NMC Act is good for society. It will end corruption and will bring reforms in medical education. That's why we met Harsh Vardhan and sorted out some issues. The minister gave clarification," DMA president Dr Girish Tyagi told reporters here.

Both the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha had passed the NMC Bill which seeks to create National Medical Commission in place of Medical Council of India. Since the Bill was passed in the Parliament, the Indian Medical Association has been raising apprehensions regarding its certain provisions. The Bill provides for the repeal of the Indian Medical Council Act 1956.

Raising the issue of doctors' safety, Tyagi said that the law will be made an assault on doctors a congnizable offence.

"We have been raising the issue of assault on doctors. Harsh Vardhan should assure us that a bill should be brought as Central Health Act in the next parliamentary session," he said.

"Under the central act, assault on doctors will become congnizable offence where grievous and serious injuries will be defined separately. The assaulters will be made to heavy penalty," the DMA president added.

DMA's call for the law came in the wake of a brutal physical assault on a resident doctor at Kolkata's NRS Medical College in June by a group of people associated with a patient's attendant. Later, the assault trigged doctors' strike across the country and serious concerns were raised about doctors' safety in the hospitals.