NEW DELHI: Even as Indian Medical Association called for a 12 hour nationwide strike today against the government's plans to table the National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill in the Parliament during the ongoing session, many state associations including Delhi and Maharashtra ignored it. Private hospitals in Delhi were working as normal, while Delhi Medical Association said it does not support IMA on this issue.

“We do support the IMA's call for strike. We trust the government and it has taken steps to address our concerns. If the changes in the Bill are not as per our demand, we can again have a dialogue with the government. We do not think there is any need to go on strike at this moment,” Ashwini Goyal of Delhi Medical Association (DMA) said.

He added that an emergency general body meeting was called to decide the future course of action.

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) had called for suspension of all non-emergency services , including OPDs, for 12 hours to observe the “Dhikkar Diwas - no to NMC Bill” on Saturday as a protest against the bill, which seeks to replace the Medical Council of India (MCI) with a new body.

Health ministry source said no strikes were reported from majority of the states.

The ministry had asked the additional chief secretaries and health secretaries of all states and Union Territories to put in place all necessary measures to ensure that healthcare and emergency services run smoothly during the strike.

IMA national president Dr Ravi Wankhedkar said the call against the NMC Bill generated awareness among the doctors and amongst common people. Many ordinary people identified themselves with the cause for which the doctors were fighting. “The struggle will continue,” he said.

“Actually, withdrawal of non-emergency services was only a warning to the government. The IMA will intensify its agitation if the government tries to bulldoze this pro-rich, anti-democratic, anti-federal NMC Bill. We appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to intervene to protect the interests of marginalised and underprivileged sections of the society,” Wankhedkar said.

IMA has raised concerns related to inclusion of trained Ayush doctors in the system for certain type of medical procedures and treatment mainly to meet shortage of doctors in remote areas. Besides, the Bill also proposed an EXIT exam for MBBS students. The doctors’ association have raised objection to the proposal saying students will become “cannon fodder” between the EXIT exam and the NEET.

