Protest by medical representatives in Kolkata. PTIDoctors in West Bengal Wednesday said they will not stay away from their hospital duty but will register their protest against the National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill, 2019, by wearing black badges on Thursday. To intensify its agitation against the “draconian” Bill, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has given a call to suspend all medical services, including emergency ones, on Thursday. A week ago, it had asked doctors across India to withdraw non-essential services for a day.
As per sources, out-patient departments and emergency services will run normally in the state and doctors may join the protest by wearing black badges.
“We don’t want to harass patients anymore. However, we morally and ethically support the protest,” said a doctor at a government hospital, who didn’t want to be identified.
The Bill was passed in the Lok Sabha on July 29.
While the government claims it to be “most visionary reform”, the medical fraternity claimed that it will promote “quackery”. A week ago, to pressure the government to withdraw the Bill, the IMA had asked doctors to withdraw all non-essential services from 6 am on July 31 till 6 am on August 1. The strike was met with a mixed response in the state.
