HYDERABAD: Accusing Health Minister T Harish Rao of encouraging unqualified people, members of all Doctor's Associations on Sunday demanded that he withdraw his comments. They also demanded the implementation of a law to shut down establishments being run by unqualified persons. The doctors issued a detailed plan of action to be followed if their demands are not fulfilled.
A protest was staged in this regard on Sunday in front of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) at Koti here where doctors held posters with the message “Harish Rao is Injurious to Health”.
Following the protest, a meeting was conducted with the representatives of IMA, Telangana Junior Doctors Association (TJUDA), Senior Resident Doctors Association, Telangana Doctors Federation and Telangana Employees Association-Doctors Forum where it was decided to wear black badges as a sign of dissent in all medical institutions, private and government clinics and hospitals.
The doctors also decided to register a complaint against Harish, BJP State chief Bandi Sanjay and all others who supported quackery. The associations also planned to lay siege to the Department of Health and TS Medical Council if no action was taken. Telangana Government Doctors Association, Telangana Vaidya Vidhana Parishad Government Doctors Association and Telangana Medical JAC extended support to the protest.
Video clip tells the tale
Healthcare Reforms Doctors Association on Saturday shared a video on its Twitter handle in which Harish can be heard addressing the meeting of RMPs and Paramedical Medical Practitioners (PMPs) held after the inspection drive conducted by the Director of Public Health last week. In the video clip, the Minister is speaking through the phone held by MLA Guvvala Balaraj.
Equating MBBS doctors with RMPs, Harish can be heard saying that action will be taken only on RMPs who perform abortions and other minor surgeries. Otherwise, RMPs can prescribe medicines and drugs as before. I will give instructions to the DPH not to touch any RMP,” the voice, purportedly to be of the Minister, says.