City doctors to protest against MCI bill today

Surat: Doctors affiliated to Indian Medical Association (IMA) will be holding a protest programme on Friday by wearing black ribbons to protest against a bill in Parliament seeking to replace Medical Council of India (MCI) with a new body.
The IMA office-bearers and a few doctors from the city submitted a memorandum to district collector Dr Dhaval Patel demanding withdrawal of the controversial bill, which will deliver a body blow to medical practitioners.

The IMA has supported nationwide protest call given by the IMA on Friday. However, the doctors affiliated to IMA in Surat and across the state will work but wear black ribbons to mark their protest.

IMA office-bearers stated that their national body has decided to oppose the IMC amendment bill, consumer protection bill 2018 and national consumer protection bill 2018. These bills are anti-poor, anti-people and undemocratic, they said.

Dr Vinesh Shah, medico-legal expert, said, “The proposed consumer protection bill 2018 has a proposal to increase maximum claim amount for consumer at district forums from Rs20 lakh to Rs1 crore, at state commission from Rs1 crore to Rs10 crore and above Rs10 crore in national commission. This will affect the functioning of medical practitioners. The doctors will always work under pressure as false claims by patients can cost them heavily.”

Dr Girish Modi, president of IMA’s Surat chapter, said, “Medical Council of India is the representative body of medical practitioners in the country. Abolishing a democratic institution and replacing it with a body where majority of members are nominated by the government is a retrograde step.”