J'khand IMA demands implementation of Medical Protection Act, CEA amendment

The Jharkhand Chapter of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Sunday demanded that the state government implement the Medical Protection Act (MPA) and an amendment to the Clinical Establishment Act (CEA) at the earliest in Jharkhand for benefit of doctors and patients.

The IMA during its executive body meeting here decided to request the government in this regard, failing to which they may launch a fresh agitation.

Addressing the media, Jharkhand chapter IMA president Arun Kumar Singh said that their demands are still pending with the state government. "We are just given assurances but no concrete step has been taken yet. The government has adopted a lackadaisical approach towards our long pending demands, which is not acceptable," he said.

Singh said that when they created pressure with rounds of agitations, the state government brought MPA bill in the state assembly during the budget session. "With objection by few MLAs, it was sent to the Select Committee, and is pending there for around five months," Singh said.

Speaking over amending in CEA, Jharkhand IMA secretary Pradeep Kumar said, "We just demanded amendment in a rule in the Clinical Establishment Act. It could be amended without passing it through assembly but the government is ignorant."

He said they have demanded to keep single doctor's clinics, couple doctors' clinics and hospitals below 50 beds out of the purview of CEA. "If the amendment is not done immediately, single doctor clinics, couple doctors' clinics and hospitals below 50 beds will be forced to shut their establishments," he said.

Jharkhand IMA president said, "If the government does not take any step, we will have no choice but to start our agitation again, which might put patients in trouble that we do not want.