TN govt doctors to boycott work tomorrow against Centre's Bill

Government doctors in Tamil Nadu will boycott outpatient services in hospitals across the state for an hour tomorrow to protest the Centre's National Medical Commission Bill.
The protest is planned from 9.30 am to 10.30 am, an office-bearer of the Tamil Nadu Government Doctors Association (TNGDA) said.
The National Medical Commission Bill to replace the Medical Council of India (MCI) with a new body, to ensure transparency, was introduced in the Lok Sabha on December 29, amid protest from Congress members.
According to the Bill, the commission will have government-nominated chairman and members and board members will be selected by a search committee under the Cabinet Secretary. There will be five elected and 12 ex-officio members in the panel.

TNGDA State Headquarters Secretary Dr P Balakrishnan told PTI: "The existing Medical Council of India has only medical doctors as council members and a similar model should be incorporated in the new bill as well."
Under the new proposal, government-nominated office- bearers form the bulk in the governance set-up. They should be elected instead, he said.

The provision allowing practitioners of Indian medicine to practise allopathic medicine following a bridge course should be dropped from the Bill, he said.
On other issues in the Bill like an exam for MBBS students after they graduate to enable them to practice, he said: "It is diluting medical education standards rather than strengthening it."

Introducing the Bill, Health Minister J P Nadda said it incorporates suggestions made by a standing committee.
The Bill provides for constitution of four autonomous boards for undergraduate and post-graduate education, assessment and accreditation of medical institutions and registration of practitioners under the National Medical Commission.
The Bill is aimed at bringing reform in the medical education sector which has been under scrutiny for corruption and unethical practices, government sources said.
It also proposes a common entrance exam and licentiate exams which all medical graduates will have to clear to get practicing licences.
No permission would be needed to add new seats or to start post-graduate courses, it says.