Junior doctors boycott duties over NMC bill passed by Lok Sabha

Hyderabad: Doctors associated with the Telangana Junior Doctors Association (TJDA) protests for 24 hours and boycotted their duties on Wednesday in support of the nationwide protest against the National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill, which was passed by the Lok Sabha on Monday.

On Wednesday, Doctors associated with TJDA, Hyderabad and Telangana, at least three government hospitals did not offer elective services. However, emergency surgeries and service were continued at all hospitals without interruption.

Members of Telangana Junior Doctors Association (TJUDA) from five hospitals, Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS)-Resident Doctors Association (RDA) and senior doctors participated in the protest.

Moreover, patients desperate for consultation offered money to security personnel requesting doors of Out-Patient block at Osmania General Hospital (OGH) to be opened.

The T-JDA maintained that the NMC Bill 2019 is highly objectionable with controversial clauses. “The bill is anti-poor, anti-people, and anti-students,” observed.

Dr TS Vijayender Goud, Chairman of TJDA, said, “It is against public health and poor students who pursue medical education.”

Dr Vijayender adding the Lok Sabha passed the bill overlooking suggestions and recommendations made by the Parliamentary Standing Committee, The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has protested nationwide on Wednesday. Doctors associated with IMA also staged a protest in Hyderabad on Tuesday by boycotting their elective duties for some time.

The NMC Bill proposes a common final year Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) examination known as National Exit Test (NEXT) for admission to postgraduate medical courses and for obtaining a license to practice medicine. The National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET), common counselling and NEXT will be applicable to institutes of national importance like the AIIMS. It is aimed at setting common standards in the medical education sector of the country.

Authored by Mohammed Hussain

mohammedhussain.reporter@gmail.com