IMA to organize Dilli Chalo movement on 6th June,2017

Over a lakh doctors to join the movement digitally and physically to bring to light atrocities faced by the medical fraternity

 New Delhi,May 22, 2017: The National IMA is organizing the Dilli Chalo Movement on 6th June 2017 to bring forth the atrocities faced by the medical fraternity and has urged all its members to join the movement in entirety. The Protest March will start at 8:00 AM from Rajghat and reach the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium by 11:00 AM. The march, which will be joined by over a lakh doctors in the country, both digitally and physically, will be followed by deliberations on issues ailing the medical profession.

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. The IMA is undertaking targeted intensive lobbying in the month of May.

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 RN Tandon – Honorary Secretary General IMA in a joint statement, said, “The medical profession is facing the most difficult time of the era. Both doctors and patients have to understand that the ‘Doctor–Patient’ relationship is a sacred one and that the dignity of the profession should be maintained. It won’t be wrong to say that justice has been denied to doctors even within the framework  of the constitution of India. People are indulging in violence against doctors which is further being condoned by governments and other institutions. Prescription rights of doctors are being trampled upon which can have disastrous consequences for patients. There is absolutely no end to the injustice being heaped upon the medical fraternity and this noble profession. It is after having decided that enough is enough that the IMA has given this clarion call, Dilli Chalo.”

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.

Adding further, Dr Aggarwal, said, “NEXT was stopped on track by the all-India strike by medical students on 1 February. IMA is now launching No to NEXT 2.0 on 6th June 2017. As part of this, all medical students and colleges in the country will go on strike and conduct protest meetings. The Pen Down Satyagraha will see all doctors across India, in all sectors, not giving any prescriptions for one hour between 10 am and 11 am in solidarity with the Dilli Chalo movement to save professional autonomy.”

The Dilli Chalo movement aims to address the following demands by the medical fraternity:

• Implementation of the Inter-ministerial committee meeting report within six weeks
• Stringent Central Act against violence on medical professionals
• Single-window accountability with no criminal charges on doctors without intent to harm a patient
• Single-window registration of doctors and medical establishments
• Preserving professional autonomy by amending Indian Medical Council Act instead of bringing national medical commission
• Uniform final MBBS exam instead of ‘NEXT’
• Pan-India uniform service conditions for medical doctors and other health care providers
• Amendments in PC PNDT, Central CEA, and West Bengal CEA Acts
• IMA member in every government health committee
• No commercial rates on medical doctors providing subsidy
• Anti-quackery laws (no one other than qualified MBBS or BDS can prescribe scheduled modern medicine drugs)
• Protection of professional autonomy (no interference in freedom to choose quality affordable drugs, investigations, and treatment)
• No variation in market prize for generic-generic, trade-generic, and brand-generic drugs
• Reimbursement of all emergent services in private sector for people who cannot afford treatment
• Health budget of 2.5% in the coming year
• Promotion of family medicine in India with 25,000 PG seats in family medicine