The Odisha unit of Indian Medical Association (IMA) joined a 12-hour cease-work stir called by the IMA and observed ‘black day’ here on Tuesday protesting against the Union Government’s National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill seeking to replace the Medical Council of India (MCI) with a new body.
Wearing black badges and holding placards banners, over 100 medical students took out a rally from Power House Chhak to the Raj Bhavan protesting the NMC Bill, which was tabled in the Parliament on Friday.
A team of representatives of the MCI later met Governor SC Jamir and submitted a memorandum addressed to the President.
Healthcare services at outpatient departments (OPDs) of various private hospitals in the State are affected by the protest while emergency services are functioning normally, said a member of the State MCI State unit. The Centre is likely to table the NMC Bill in the Parliament for discussion on Tuesday.
The bill seeks to replace the MCI and also proposes allowing practitioners of alternative medicines, such as homoeopathy and ayurveda, practise allopathy after completing a bridge course.
It has provisions that chairman and other members of the body would be nominated by the Government of India.
The MCI termed the bill as “anti-people and anti-patient”, the association in a statement has stated that the bill purported to eradicate corruption is “designed to open the floodgates of corruption”. “NMC is an anti-poor bill with pro-private management clauses.
A bill to regulate the medical education and medical practice without the concurrence of the medical profession will be a disaster,” said the association.