DIMAPUR, JULY 27 (MExN): The Indian Medical Association (IMA), Nagaland State Branch on Friday said the National Medical Commission Bill, 2017, expected to be introduced in the Lok Sabha in the ongoing monsoon session has a “draconian character which would cause irreparable damage to the interest of all stakeholders and reduce down regulatory mechanism to a puppetry with strings attached to the government.”
The proposed law that seeks to replace the Medical Council of India was introduced in the lower house of the Parliament in December 2017, and following major protests by the IMA, the Bill was referred to a parliamentary standing committee.
The IMA is contending that, out of the 24 amendments suggested by the committee in the final version of the Bill, the government has accepted only one recommendation in totality and three others in a partial manner.
“The NMC Bill remains anti-democratic, anti-federal, anti-poor, pro-rich, anti-backward communities, anti-human and intends to centralize authority with the government of India,” said IMA Nagaland State Branch president Dr Kezevituo Keditsu and honorary state secretary, Dr Victo A Wotsa in a press release.
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has called a 12-hour nationwide strike, withdrawing non-emergency medical servces on July 28 to protest against the "anti democratic and anti poor" National Medical Commission Bill, 2017. However, the nationwide strike is not expected to affect Nagaland healthcare services. With around 200 members, the IMA, Nagaland State Branch will only give moral support to the agitation, Dr Kezevituo Keditsu informed.
