Medical doctors will stage a demonstration in front of the King George Hospital on Monday morning to protest against the Central Government’s health and medical education policies.
This would be in response to a call by the Indian Medical Association for all-India strike, according to IMA Visakhapatnam chapter secretary P.A. Ramani.
The demonstration would be held from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., followed by a procession from KGH to the Collectorate via Jagadamba Junction, she said.
The IMA is demanding, among other things, restoration of autonomous status and conduct of elections in democratic manner to Medical Council of India, stopping of the proposed NCHRH Act, which, if passed, would override the federal functioning of health care delivery of India and lead to centralisation and politicisation of health care management.
The IMA is also strongly opposing the Government’s proposed exit exam for doctors even after passing the respective university exams. It suggested that this exam be implied to international medical graduates and to those students studied in unrecognised Indian institutions.
NEET exam
The Government should begin All India NEET examination from the academic year 2014- 15 onwards in local languages only after instituting uniform nation-wide intermediate curriculum, it felt.
Other demands include pay scales to State Government doctors on par with Central staff, exemption of medical profession from Consumer Protection Act since the latter was ‘crippling the medical fraternity and forcing the doctors to do defensive medical practice resulting in denying of proper medical aid to needy patients’.
“We will also be submitting a memorandum to the Collector about the demands of the doctors. This strike is being supported by Government Doctors’ Association, Andhra Pradesh Nursing Homes Association, Indian Dental Association, Medical Representatives’ Union and Prajarogya Parirakshana Samiti,” Dr. Ramani said.
