NMC Bill: IMA calls for an Emergency Extended Action Committee meeting on Aug 4

Amidst doctors continuing to protest against National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Friday called for an emergency Extended Action Committee meeting on August 4.

"IMA HQ calls for an emergency Extended Action Committee Meeting on August 4 and it proclaims solidarity and stands shoulder to shoulder with the Resident Doctors Associations and our medical students," IMA said in a press release.

The meeting comes days after doctors and medical students from across the country continued to protest against the NMC Bill which was passed by the Rajya Sabha on Thursday.

Doctors have also been raising their voices against sections 32 and 15 of the Bill pertaining to licensing of health providers and the entrance exam for post-graduate course/NEXT. They say that the Bill empowers Central government to override any suggestion of the NMC.

However, Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan hailed the bill as "historic" and said that it will benefit doctors and medical students.

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