HYDERABAD: Services in government hospitals were hit as junior doctors across the city boycotted elective services for over an hour on Monday morning, protesting against the controversial National Medical Commission Bill that was tabled in the Parliament the same day.
Telangana Junior Doctors Association, Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences Resident Doctors Association and Healthcare Reforms Doctors Association staged protests claiming that the proposed NMC Bill needs to be amended after due discussion with resident doctors and other stakeholders.
The proposed NMC Bill aims to replace the Medical Council of India after the latter was tagged as ‘obsolete’. Dr PS Vijeyndar, chairman of TJUDA said, “Only two of the clauses of the NMC bill are enough to crush your dreams to become a doctor. It’s unfortunate that even after our continuous struggle for the last two years to stop this Bill, the government is adamant to bring it out without the desired changes.”
Voicing his concern regarding the proposed Exit Exam, Dr G Srinivas, president of NIMS RDA, said, “Students will be allowed to give the National Exit Test only once. This means students will not get a chance to better their scores according to PG cut-off eligibility criteria. There are only 400 odd PG seats in Telangana, and over 10,000 students apply for post-graduation seats. Many MBBS graduates have to appear for the exam multiple times to get a seat.”
On the issue of fee structure, he said, “The bill will regulate fees of only up to 50 per cent MBBS seats. In a Supreme Court verdict, it was advised to regulate minimum 85 per cent of the seats so that underprivileged children can also dream of becoming a doctor.”