Doctors' strike hits health services in Uttarakhand

Health services were hit in Uttarakhand on Tuesday as private doctors went on a strike against the National Medical Council (NMC) Bill which seeks to replace the Medical Council of India (MCI). The strike was later called off.

Private doctors in the hill state affiliated with the Indian Medical Association (IMA) downed shutters and did not conduct any surgeries, an IMA spokesman told IANS.

Major hospitals in the state capital like the Himalayan hospital, Max, Synergy, Mahant Indresh however conducted surgical procedures and kept the Out-Patient Departments open even as most of the 400 private clinics in the city took part in the nationwide strike.

As a result, most of the pressure came to the district and other government hospitals.

The strike was, however, withdrawn later as the government agreed to the IMA's demand and sent the National Medical Commission Bill, 2017 to a select committee.

IMA's Regional General Secretary D.D. Chowdhary said the new Bill will not only be detrimental to the poor patients but would also render a death blow to the coming generations of medical practitioners.

The strike call evoked a mixed response in Roorkee and other cities.

--IANS

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