Nagpur:‘Dandi March’ by doctors for law against mob violence

NAGPUR: Alleging that central government has withdrawn proposed law for protection of medicos, doctors attached to Indian Medical Association (IMA) have decided to “replicate” Mahatma Gandhi’s iconic Dandi March.
Thousands of doctors are expected to participate in the march to be taken out from Sabarmati Ashram in Gujarat. This march will start on March 12 — the date on which Mahatma Gandhi had started Dandi March from the same ashram in 1930.However, unlike 384km march by the Mahatma, the doctors’ rally will be a symbolic 4km walk around Sabarmati Ashram.
IMA Maharashtra unit president Dr Avinash Bhondwe told TOI that Union home minister Amit Shah has withdrawn Health Care Service Persons and Health Care Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage to Property) Bill 2019, which was to be tabled in Parliament.
“The draft of this act was finalized by ministry of health and family welfare. Even the government had agreed that such law was necessary. But, recently, we have been told by home ministry sources that the proposed bill has been withdrawn,” said Dr Bhondwe. “The home ministry said such a law for a particular profession cannot be passed by the Centre,” said the IMA unit president.
“Medical profession and health care services are indeed unique and are comparable to no other professions. Any violence on doctors is indirect violence on patients. The home ministry should reconsider its stand,” he added.
Apart from the central law for prevention of violence, doctors are demanding that only MBBS qualified doctors should be allowed to provide health services in both villages and cities and government should not allow medicos from other streams to head any health centre.
The doctors also have reservations against several provisions in the new National Medical Council (NMC) Act like exit exam after MBBS course and provision that allows non-doctor health care professionals (ANMs, pharmacists etc) to prescribe medicines in some cases.
“IMA Maharashtra has 210 branches, with more than 43,500 members. They will be contacted and sensitized about the March. We also have network of undergraduate medical students and postgraduate students as youth wings of IMA. The students will also be made aware about the injustice. Various NGOs, clubs and associations will also be told about the March,” he said.