The 12-hour nation-wide doctors’ strike called by Indian Medical Association on Tuesday was total in Vizianagaram district.
The strike was called to protest against the NMC (National Medical Council) Bill which was described by IMA district president-elect Mrutyunjaya Rao as ‘anti-patient and anti-people’. The strike from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. by private hospitals across the district, however, exempted emergency cases.
Former president of State IMA V.S. Prasad said that nominating a bureaucrat in place of a medical practitioner for NMC after scrapping MCI was highly objectionable.
Outgoing president of IMA Kumaraswamy opposed permission for practising allopathic medicine by AYUSH and homoeo doctors after they completed bridge course. Dr. Venkateswara Rao, Dr. J.C. Naidu and others spoke at a press conference at IMA Hall here on Tuesday.
In Ongole, private hospitals across Prakasam district downed the shutters in protest against the Centre’s move to allow para-medicos and others to practise allopathy. Except for emergency cases, doctors refused treatment for outpatients.
Leading the protest, Indian Medical Association State president Jayasekhar opposed the NMC Bill. “We will resist with all our strength the move to allow Ayush doctors practice allopathy,” said IMA State joint secretary P. Panidhar. They, later welcomed the Centre's decision to refer the National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill to the Parliamentary Standing Committee.
