Indian Medical Association calls for 'aggressive public campaign' against NMC Bill, appeals to president to withhold his assent to draft law

New Delhi: The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has deferred its call for the withdrawal of services to a “later date of choice,” and decided an aggressive public campaign against the deleterious clauses of the National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill. IMA emergency action committee had on Sunday called for a nationwide withdrawal of services on 8 August. [caption id=“attachment_7101011” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Doctors and medical students of AIIMS protest against the National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill 2019. PTI[/caption] “Medical students and Resident Doctors are on warpath. A delegation of IMA under the leadership of IMA National President, Santanu Sen along with other senior leaders, medical student representatives and junior doctors met with Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare. In view of the certain clarifications and assurances given by him and considering the prevailing situation in Jammu and Kashmir, heavy flood situation in North East, Karnataka, Maharashtra and other parts of the country as well as untimely sad demise of former Union Health Minister, Sushma Swaraj and the need for further dialogue and creating awareness about hazards of certain provisions of NMC, IMA defers its call for withdrawal of services to a later date of choice,” read a statement from IMA. “IMA supports the medical students and Resident Doctors and will continue to add momentum to the movement until justice is rendered. IMA has decided an aggressive public campaign against section 32, 50 and 51 which legitimises quackery and promotes cross pathy, section 10.1.i on capping of fee in undergraduate and postgraduate medical education on section 15 the lingering uncertainty of the career of medical students and section 29.3 and 28.7 on quality of medical education,” the statement added. The IMA has also appealed to President Ram Nath Kovind to “withhold assent until the dangers to the health of the nation accruing from several sections are adequately addressed.” “IMA also has immense faith in the judiciary in correcting the aberrations in this black law. The struggle of IMA against the deleterious clauses of NMC Bill 2019 will continue till the medical education and the health of the nation are out of harm’s way,” the statement read. It further stated that IMA will consult with all the stakeholders especially the medical students and Resident Doctors on the further course of action.