In a major attempt to draw the central Government’s attention towards several issues including the ‘atrocities and oppression’ faced by the medical fraternity, approximately 300 doctors from Jharkhand participated in the nationwide rally organized by Indian Medical Association (IMA) in New Delhi on Tuesday.
The IMA had announced to conduct a nationwide convention in Delhi putting forth its 15-point demands from the government including formulation of stringent Central law against violence against doctors, professional autonomy in treatment and prescriptions, amendment in PC PNDT Act, Central CEA, West Bengal CEA Acts, one drug one company one price system, single-window accountability including single-window registration of doctors and medical establishments.
The protest march was also organized for safeguarding the professional autonomy by amending the Indian Medical Council Act instead of bringing national medical commission, reimbursement of all emergency services in private sector for deprived people besides making an arrangement for uniform service conditions for doctors and faculties.
The campaign also laid emphasis on health budget that aims to cover five percent of GDP for universal health coverage and no unscientific mixing of systems of medicines.
From Jharkhand State IMA branch, Dr. Arun Singh, president State Chapter, Dr. Pradeep Kumar Singh, Secretary, IMA Jharkhand and Dr. Bharti Kashyap, eminent ophthalmologist and President IMA Jharkhand Women Wing represented the State with the list of demands at New Delhi with the other doctors from Jharkhand.
“Our 15 major demands is the need of the hour. The IMA Jharkhand branch fully supports the protest to draw the attention of the central government towards violent behavior of patient’s family against the medical fraternity. This is the biggest rally ever organized after independence by the doctors that aims to promote uniformity in our service,” said, IMA State Secretary, Dr. Pradip Kumar Singh.
IMA Women Doctors Wing president, Dr. Bharti Kashyap, said, “Despite making several attempts and approaching ministers nothing has been finalized yet on this issue. Only after implementation of the medical protection act, doctors can perform their duties in fearless environment and the step will also curb migration of medical professionals from our State to an extent.” Dr Kashyap had toiled hard in Jharkhand to get a medical protection act in the State. “Working as the Coordination committee president for Medical protection Act we had fought a long battle. We submitted a draft of the act to the government in 2014 and the then Governor Dr Syed Ahmed had given his assent to the Act but it got stuck due to some technical issues. The present government, however, showed sensitiveness towards the issue and finally gave a Cabinet nod to the Bill recently,” she said.
A pen-down satyagraha called by all doctors from across the nation was also observed on Tuesday during which none of the doctors gave any prescription to any OPD patient in solidarity with ‘Dilli Chalo’ movement that aims to preserve the professional autonomy of all medical professionals.
Due to the strike called by the doctors in support of their 15 major demands, health services across the State was obstructed for approximately five continuous hours severely affecting Out Patient Department (OPD) services including emergency facilities.