The doctors at the protest in Government Rajaji Hospital (GRH) Premises in Madurai were demanding withdrawal of bills proposed by the Central government.
Their demands include withdrawal of National Commission for Human Resources Health Bill proposed by the Centre which they said could lead to a situation where the bureaucrats, especially civil services officers, holding sway over the medical professionals “as there is no provision for representation of professional associations or medical universities.”
Another major demand is that the government should not introduce the three–year Bachelor of Rural Health Care (BRHC) course as it would affect the quality of medical practice.
The new course would make a mockery of the professional five-year MBBS course. The protestors also called for revocation of national-level Common Entrance Test for medicine “as it will tilt the balance against students from rural and semi-urban areas.”
The EXIT examination for students of medicine on completion of their course must be abolished.
The practice of renewal of licenses for hospitals and dispensaries every year under the Clinical Establishment Bill,2010, must be abolished.
S.S. Annamalaisamy, president, Indian Medical Association, Madurai, and Babu, president, Association of Surgeons of India, Madurai, led the 150-odd demonstrators during the half-an-hour protest.
It did not affect the proceedings in the GRH, but in private hospitals surgeries, and outpatient check-ups were cancelled, said sources.
