The Indian Medical Association (IMA) is launching a countrywide bicycle rally on Sunday to oppose the National Medical Commission Bill and to create awareness among the public on its impact on the health care system, Ravi Wankhedkar, IMA national president, said here on Friday.
The rally would involve 1,700-odd branches of the IMA and would begin at 7 a.m. Doctors will distribute pamphlets and give out information about the Bill, said J.A. Jayalal, Tamil Nadu State president.
The Bill, which is with the Parliamentary Standing Committee, is “anti-poor and pro-rich,” said Dr. Wankhedkar.
‘Bad for health care’
“The IMA strongly opposes it,” he said and added that it would bring suffering to patients and damage the health care delivery system in the country.
The IMA had made a representation to the committee, and wanted the Bill withdrawn.
One of the clauses of the Bill that he highlighted was the possibility of AYUSH doctors being allowed to set up practice of modern medicine after passing a bridge course.
The Indian and modern systems of medicine could not be mixed, he said.
