Govt sets up panel to look into demands of doctors

Union Health Minister JP Nadda has ordered the formation of a committee to evaluate in a time-bound manner the Indian Medical Association’s five-point demands, including amendments to the PCPNDT Act and the Consumer Protection Act.

The committee will study suggestions and amendments given by the IMA on all five issues, including assault on doctors and clinical establishments, amendments in the PCPNDT Act and Consumer Protection Act for capping the compensation amount etc, and submit a report within six weeks.

The committee comprises Additional Secretary (Health), Joint Secretary (Law), Joint Secretary (Home) and Joint Secretary (Consumer Affairs). Besides, the committee will have three representatives of IMA and one from Medical Council of India (MCI), said IMA Secretary General Dr KK Aggarwal.

The IMA has delivered a notice to the Prime Minister, Union Health Minister, Minister of Consumer Affairs, Home Minister and Union Law Minister disclosing their plan to observe a ‘Satyagraha’ on November 16. 

They also partnered with a social networking platform for doctors to initiate a petition in support of their demands. The petition garnered signatures of over 50,000 doctors in its support.

“Taking into consideration the above developments, the IMA is postponing the Satyagraha from November 16. We thank all those who signed our petition in support of the cause and hope that together we can bring about the necessary amendments needed to safeguard the nobility of the medical profession in India,” Dr Aggarwal and Dr A Marthanda Pillai, National President of IMA, said in a joint statement.