IMA CWC demands urgent implementation of their demands

Dr KK Aggarwal

Taking the Dilli Chalo movement forward, the Central Working Committee meeting ratified the decision of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) to hold a dawn-to-dusk fast throughout the country on October 2, 2017, the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi. The day is also observed by the United Nations as the International Day of Non-Violence. The fast will be held in Delhi, Sabarmati and Wardha.

The fast is a move towards drawing the attention of the government and the general public to violence in hospitals. Through this peaceful protest, the IMA also aims to reinforce its demand for a Central Hospital Protection Act and the implementation of the inter-ministerial committee recommendations, which were a result of persistent efforts of IMA with the ministry for two years.

The Dilli Chalo movement in June this year was a huge success, where more than 100,000 doctors, both in person and through digital media, participated. We also initiated a signature campaign on the issues at hand on social media for doctors, to demand justice from the government.

We further discussed the status of the demands raised by the IMA as part of the Dilli Chalo campaign at the 218th meeting of IMA's Central Working Committee (CWC) in New Delhi. Many issues were raised during the Dilli Chalo movement. Our major demands are as follows:

·         Criminal prosecution of medical negligence and clerical errors

·         Stringent central act against violence on doctors

·         Capping the compensation in CPA on doctors

·         Professional autonomy in treatment and prescriptions

·         Amendments in PC PNDT, Central CEA, West Bengal CEA Acts

·         No unscientific mixing of systems of medicine

·         Empower MBBS graduates

·         One drug - One company - One price

·         Implement inter-ministerial committee recommendations in six weeks

·         Single window accountability

·         Single window registration of doctors and medical establishments

·         No to NMC: Amend IMC act to maintain professional autonomy

·         Uniform final MBBS exam instead of ‘NEXT’

·         Uniform service conditions for service doctors & faculty

·         Same work - Same pay - Pay parity - No to adhocism

·         Fair conduction of NEET exam

·         IMA member in every government health committee

·         Central anti-quackery law

·         Reimbursement of emergency services provided by private sector

·         25000 family medicine PG seats

·         Aided hospitals and retainer ship in general practice

·         Health budget of 5 % of GDP for universal health coverage

This CWC meeting, in particular, is significant as it is a landmark year for the Association and also because it is time to work further to uphold the dignity of this noble profession. In medical profession, actions need to be implemented without waiting. Violence against doctors continues, rights of the medical fraternity are trampled upon, and there is no action taken towards modifying draconian acts. Hence, all doctors of modern medicine in the country will undertake a dawn to dusk fast on 2^nd October.