Speaking up for the safety of women in the country and in an attempt to “stop the sex ratio of the country from depleting,” the Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Thursday condemned the new draft of the Medical Termination of Pregnancy (Amendment) Bill, 2014 saying that it would lead to a high level of quackery and also put women in the hands of unqualified doctors.
General Secretary of IMA, Dr Narendra Saini, said, “The amendment allows practitioners of ayurveda and homeopathy, nurses and auxiliary nurses to carry out the procedure of termination of pregnancy by medical or surgical manner. This will compromise the safety of our patients drastically and also promote quackery.”
A team of six doctors from IMA also met with Minster of Health and Family Welfare Dr Harsh Vardhan who said that he would look into the matter. Reportedly, the amendment draft made by the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare was “incorrectly based on an unscientific study done by Population Council in 2012 which showed that trained nurses and ayurveda physicians provide medical abortions as safely as MBBS doctors.” However, the earlier MTP Act 1971 stated that no one other than MBBS doctors registered under the Act can conduct abortions. Thus, Dr Saini questioned, “How could an ayurveda doctor and nurse carry out MTPs as per the study conductedIJ” “This smells of malpractices in the medical field,” he said.
The draft of the amendment has changed the earlier term of “medical practitioner” to “healthcare provider” while stating the persons who can conduct an abortion. Dr Anil Bansal, chairman of Delhi Medical Association (DMA), said, “This kind of an Act can actually percolate into the whole system and be used as a medium for increased quackery. We are not against any healthcare technique or medical practice, but there are bound when it comes to particular treatments.”
Subsequently, another representative from IMA said, “Just because a tea-seller has become the Prime Minister of the country, people think that anyone can do anything. You can’t ask an auto-rickshaw driver to pilot a plane rightIJ Then how can an unqualified person with no gynaecological experience conduct an abortion. This can also lead to hurting the uterus of the woman and lead to several other problems.”
As per the MTP Act 1971, while a medical practitioner with a minimum of MBBS degree can conduct the procedure of termination of pregnancy, even they need to have spent at least six months in the gynaecological department. “This profession needs training and knowledge. We are dealing with life and death here, it cannot be taken lightly,” said Dr Anil Goyal, president DMA.
Member of IMA are now going to submit their formal proposal to the government after which they will await the government’s response. “If nothing is done, then we will hold dharnas and use every form of democratic way to get this done. We will not give up. This is not for our benefit but benefit of the women in the country,” said Saini.
Currently, IMA will be holding an awareness campaign called Save the Woman Campaign where they will tell the public about the Act and the caution one should prevail while going for abortion. “There are increasing numbers of unwanted pregnancy now and we want that no lives are lost in the process,” added Saini.