Doctors’ stir on Thursday for protection law clearance

RANCHI: Doctors across the state will demonstrate outside medical colleges, block hospitals and community health centres on Thursday to demand the passage of the Medical Protection Bill in the upcoming budget session of the assembly.

The state chapter of Indian Medical Association (IMA) and Jharkhand State Health Service Association (JHASA) on Wednesday said the synchronised demonstrations will be peaceful. Doctors from private hospitals in the state will also participate in the demonstrations, the outfits said.

Dr Pradeep Kumar Singh, secretary of IMA (Jharkhand) said efforts are under way to change the common perception about the law. “It is being perceived that once the law comes into effect, doctors will have a free hand in misbehaving with patients and their relatives and would do as they please. It is not the case. The law entails that patients can also take doctors and hospitals to task for wrong treatment, over-charging and misbehaviour,” Singh claimed.

Singh said IMA has urged all private hospitals in Jharkhand to display posters on their campuses to apprise patients and visitors about provisions of the Bill.

IMA had last week said it will go on an indefinite strike if the Raghubar Das government failed to pass the bill in the budget session, scheduled between January 17 and February 8. The bill has provisions of up to 18 months of imprisonment for those who assault doctors on duty and vandalise hospital properties.

It was tabled in the state assembly during last year’s budget session. It was then sent to the assembly select committee for scrutiny after opposition legislators protested, calling it a lopsided bill that would leave patients at large.