SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, April 10: The Indian Medical Association (IMA) Jharkhand chapter is facing internal divisions over the proposal to grant membership to Health Minister Dr. Irfan Ansari. While a few senior members have opposed the move, another section has supported granting him membership after fulfilling the necessary criteria.
The membership issue has been a subject of debate within the IMA since February 16. On that day, during the installation ceremony of the newly elected office bearers of the Jharkhand State Health Services Association (JSHSA), Dr. Ansari, who was the chief guest, was granted lifetime membership of JSHSA.
While receiving the membership, Dr. Ansari expressed regret that despite being a medical professional, the IMA had not yet admitted him as a member.
Questions Over Dr. Ansari’s Eligibility
Dr. Irfan Ansari, a 1999-batch Foreign Medical Graduate (FMG), has not been a member of the IMA in the past 26 years. As he did not join government service, he was also not a member of JSHSA until February 16.
A senior IMA member from Jamshedpur explained that IMA membership is granted nationally and not by state chapters. According to him, a state body only forwards applications to the IMA headquarters in Delhi, which then approves membership.
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“Since Dr. Irfan Ansari never submitted an application, the state body could not make him a member. Moreover, he did not support the IMA’s major demands, like the Medical Protection Act (MPA) and the Clinical Establishments Act (CEA), in the Assembly. So, how could IMA make him a member?” said the senior member.
Concerns Over JSHSA’s Decision
The same member also questioned JSHSA’s decision to grant membership to Dr. Ansari, noting that JSHSA is a body exclusively for government doctors. “Since Dr. Ansari is not a government doctor, it was a mistake by JSHSA to make a non-medical officer a member,” he added.
However, Dr. Ajay Kumar Singh, former national vice-president of IMA and coordinator from Ranchi, clarified that there is no technical hurdle in granting membership to an MLA, MP, or minister. “Gujarat MLA Dr. Jitubhai Patel served as the national president of IMA, Dr. Sudipto Roy (Bengal TMC MP) was a national vice-president, and Dr. Shantanu Sen (Bengal MP) was a national president. Jharkhand MLA Dr. Dinesh Sarangi was also a member. So, the Health Minister can certainly be made a member,” said Dr. Singh.
Membership Approval Lies with National Body
Dr. Singh further clarified that only the national headquarters can grant membership, while the state body can only forward applications.
Another senior IMA member emphasized that although Dr. Ansari did not support the MPA or CEA in the Assembly, he has shown a medico-friendly attitude.
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The member highlighted Dr. Ansari’s contributions during the COVID-19 pandemic, when he served the people of Madhupur without concern for personal risk. He also supported the Junior Doctors Association at RIMS, Ranchi, by ensuring permission for Saraswati Puja celebrations and personally attending the festival.
