IMA demands representation in all government health committees

Says professional decisions must take the medical fraternity into consideration

 New Delhi, June 5, 2017: Demanding that a member from the Indian Medical Association (IMA) be nominated in all government committees, both in the centre and state, the IMA has taken another concrete step towards the silent satyagraha called Dilli Chalo to be flagged off on the 6th of June 2017. The protest march will see thousands of doctors, students, and others in the medical profession walk from Rajghat to the Indira Gandhi Stadium where deliberations on key issues will take place.

This is just one of the many issues pointed out by the Association in its demand to uphold the nobility and integrity of the medical profession. The Dilli Chalo movement is expected to witness attendance by even those who are not present in person: through a well-organized live webcast.

Speaking about this, Padma Shri Awardee Dr K K Aggarwal, National President Indian Medical Association (IMA) and President Heart Care Foundation of India (HCFI) and Dr R N Tandon – Honorary Secretary General IMA in a joint statement, said, “Why do we need a government? Why not a Supreme Court Monitoring Committee or 20 nominated members to run the government? If not, then are there attempts for an autocratic, bureaucratic, undemocratic, non-representative, 20-member nominated body including 8 non-medical persons to oversee medical education, ethics, and practice by abolishing a democratically elected federally represented 168 members Medical Council of India. If there is a need to amend the IMA Act, so be it. However, it is imperative that the IMA has representation in all important quarters.”

The last few months have seen several other initiatives by the IMA on this front such as STOP NMC Sathyagraha, two National Protest Days against violence on doctors, NO to NEXT strike in medical colleges, and the National Black Day against West Bengal Clinical Establishments Act. Other than this, 3 action committee meetings and 2 meetings of FOMA were also conducted.

Adding further on the issue of IMA representation, Dr Aggarwal, said, “Professional decisions are being taken without taking the medical profession into confidence. It needs to be ensured that the IMA finds existence in every policy making committee of the government.”

The medical profession is facing one of the toughest times today. Repeated pleas and appeals by the medical fraternity have not materialized into anything except reassurances time and again, to the extent that states are now coming out with draconian acts like the West Bengal Clinical Establishment Act. It is after having decided that enough is enough that the IMA has given this clarion call, Dilli Chalo. . The IMA is also initiating a signature campaign on the issues at hand on social media and has urged all doctors to join and collect hundreds of thousands of signatures to demand justice from the government.