IMA calls off strike after NMC Bill sent to select committee

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Tuesday called off their strike, held to protest against the National Medical Commission Bill, 2017, till the Parliament's standing committee takes a decision on it.

This unfolded after the government agreed to IMA's demand and sent the NMC Bill to a select committee.

The Bill, which seeks to replace and subsume the Medical Council of India (MCI) with a new body, was tabled in the Rajya Sabha today by Union Health Minister JP Nadda.

Aiming to ensure transparency, the bill seeks to allow practitioners of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy, to practice modern medicine once they complete a short term "bridge" course.

Clause 49 of the Bill calls for a joint sitting of the National Medical Commission, the Central Council of Homoeopathy and the Central Council of Indian Medicine at least once a year "to enhance the interface between homoeopathy, Indian Systems of Medicine and modern systems of medicine".

The bill is also aimed at bringing reforms in the medical education sector which has been under scrutiny for corruption and unethical practices.

The IMA had termed the National Medical Commission as draconian and undemocratic.

Addressing a press conference here, Dr Parthiv Sanghvi of IMA, said, "The IMA is against the National Medical Commission because it is a government body where 90 per cent members will be nominated by the government. The structure of National Medical Commission is draconian, undemocratic, unparliamentarian and against the basic ethos and ethics that have been upheld by the Medical Council of India. "

He said the slogan for the medical community was 'No to NMC (National Medical Commission).