OPD's shut, doctors go on a 12 hour strike

Bengaluru: Medical practitioners have gone on a strike today similar to the KPME Ammendment Act protest, as the Indian Medical Association Action Committee declared a “Black Day” on Tuesday, protesting against a bill that proposes a new regulatory structure to replace the corruption-tainted Medical Council of India.

The outpatient departments at all hospitals will be shut for 12 hours from 6 am to 6 pm as a sign of protest against the National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill.

The Union Cabinet on Monday approved the National Medical Commission Bill, which seeks to replace the existing apex regulator of medical education, MCI, by a new advisory body, called the NMC. The NMC will have four autonomous boards, tasked with conducting undergraduate and postgraduate education, assessing and rating medical institutions, registering practitioners and enforcing medical ethics.

According to the NMC Bill, only up to 40% of seats in a private medical college can be regulated by the government. For the rest of 60% or more seats, the private colleges will fix the rates, which mean that poor students from SC/ST sections will be deprived of medical education.