SUBHASH MISHRA
Ranchi, May 14: The Indian Medical Association (IMA) and the Jharkhand Health Service Association (JHSA), the frontal organisation of government medicos, have served an ultimatum for the implementation of pending demands.
At a joint meeting held here, the IMA and the JHSA discussed the problems being faced by doctors and expressed concern over pending demands.
Patience of doctors is running out
IMA secretary Dr Pradip Kumar Singh and JHSA secretary Dr Thakur Mritunjay Kumar Singh said that the patience of doctors is running out as for 36 years no doctor has been given a promotion. Even 1988 batch doctors of state posted at the health directorate and as civil surgeons in the district are still medical officers without promotion.
Remove non-medical teachers from medical colleges
Medico’s bodies have demanded the immediate removal of non-medical teachers from medical colleges of the state and qualified MBBS teachers should be recruited on vacant posts.
The IMA and the JHSA have described the licensing examination (NEXT) for practice or appearing in the PG examination of students passing out from Indian medical colleges as an injustice. They also demanded a break on ad-hoc and contract basis appointments of doctors by the Indian Health Mission.
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IMA opposes myopathy
“We also oppose myopathy as modern medicine, homoeopathy, and Ayurveda all have their own identity as well as history. It would be dangerous for patients to mix them,” said Dr Singh and Dr Thakur.
The IMA-JHSA expressed concern over the delay in the Medical Protection Act even as the cabinet passed it on March 23 2023. “After a debate in the Assembly, it was handed over to the Select Committee with the intention that the report of the Committee should be submitted within a month. It is unfortunate that even after more than a year, nothing has been done yet,” they said.
Exempt doctors from criminal prosecution
Medico’s bodies have also demanded the exemption of medical professionals from criminal prosecution. “No doctor has any criminal intention in treating the patient. He tries his best with his knowledge and experience to save. It is irrelevant to prosecute doctors after any untoward incident,” they said.
The IMA and the JHSA reiterated that hospitals and clinics having 50 beds should be exempted from the Clinical Establishment Act 2010. The medical profession should be freed from the Consumer Protection Act and necessary amendments should be made to the present law for compensation.
“If doctors’ demands are not accepted, the IMA and the JHSA will be forced to take drastic decisions after the Election Code of Conduct is lifted,” they said.
