IMA e-NEWS

Secretary’s Pen

Dear Friends,

Friends, today our profession is undergoing tremendous upheaval and we are wading through deep waters due to the continuous interference of the Government vis-à-vis the dissolution of MCI, Introduction of Clinical Establishment Act, Pre-Registration Exit Test for medical graduates and Bachelor of Rural Healthcare issues. These issues challenge the political identity of the IMA.

Majority of our members are not aware of the Draconian Clinical Establishment Act introduced and passed recently. This act was being actively opposed by IMA for the past 3 years but in the midst of the ruckus in parliament during the discussion of 2G spectrum the act was hastily tabled and passed within four minutes without discussion by the parliament. IMA representatives had vehemently opposed this act.

The salient features of this act which will have direct bearing on all practicing doctors is as follows:

Every institution and individual run establishment (including GP clinic) will have to compulsorily register with the body established by State Government
The minimum criteria fore every establishment both in instrumentation and personnel and area of clinic will be prescribed by the Government Body.
A certain fee shall be charged for registration and this registration will be valid for 5 year only.
Monetary penalties for non registration and non compliance shall range from Rs.10000/- to 25000/- for first offence, Rs.50000/- to 200000/- for second offence and Rs.500000/- for third offence.
Inspectors can visit your clinic anytime for ensuring that you comply with all rules and regulations laid down.
Doctors practicing in polyclinics or hospitals as visiting faculty shall be liable for monetary punishment if said institution does not confirm to the rules.

The security of medical professionals providing healthcare to the public has become a major issue. Lately the incident of vandalism in AP and unprovoked firing on the young doctors in Bihar has stirred me and has forced me to think that what the fault of these young doctors is. If we think retrospectively most of the last few strikes by the profession are regarding security issues and the media and public unnecessarily blame the doctors. Just think that if the young doctors are always working under stress of being attacked by relatives if some untoward event happens with their patient how will be they able to perform their duty of providing a good healthcare. One should understand that the disease process takes its own course. Many of the states have Prevention of violence and damage to property Bill 2008 for Hospital and medical professionals protection, at the initiative of IMA have been enacted in many states namely Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Kerala, MP, Delhi and few more states. I will request the state branches to take this matter with their Governments to replete this act.

I demand that authorities be ruthless on antisocial elements indulging in organized violence against doctors and hospitals. I further demand that the FIR should be registered immediately against such persons involved in violence against doctors and hospitals. Political leaders have also to come forward and condemn such incidents.

I would appeal to the medical profession to constantly improve their communication skills and avoid situations leading to violence.

Another issue which is of utmost importance is concerning the health insurance which is lately emerging as the essential component of healthcare delivery system but there are inherent problems regarding the cashless scheme and also that there is no clear-cut policy and directives from insurance companies to TPIs. This requires an urgent attention and should be amicably settled so that all the stake holders are satisfied.

Medicos are often falsely blamed by the government agencies and also by media for not going to villages but on the contrary the medicos are always eager to provide the healthcare facility to each and every citizen whether in rural area or urban area. The lack of infrastructure in rural area sometimes frustrates the young medicos working in the rural areas when they are not able to do justice while treating the patients. I am astonished that rather than developing the infrastructure and facilities in the rural area govt. is rather encouraging or legalizing the quackery by introducing Bachelor of Rural Health Care by Ministry of Health & Family Welfare, GOI If the Govt. is not in a position to pursue the doctors to work in the rural areas, it is the bad governance, whereas the new recruitment in IPS/IAS has to complete their preliminarily posting of rural area before being posted in the urban area. Even the Human Rights Commission has also objected about the two types of treatments given in the country one is for rural population (half baked doctors) and for urban population (the qualified doctors).

IMA is objecting and will keep on objecting on this issue. Govt. wants to introduce Pre-registration Exit Test for medical graduates. We are opposing that once MCI has recognized the medical college after the criteria of faculty and infrastructure was up-to the mark why the graduate are asked for Exit Test after qualifying from their institutions.

IMA is organizing a convention of young medicos in Delhi on 19^th February to deal with all these issues and has given the slogan Dilli Chalo. I request all the leaders of the state and local branches to percolate this information and also to encourage the medical students and resident doctors from their respective areas to participate in large numbers in this convention.

In nutshell IMA has been on the forefront to fight against these issues for the past couple of months. The Govt. authorities tried to convince the office-bearers to toe the line over these issues. After multiple meetings when the Govt. was convinced that IMA office bearers would not heed their commands the Govt. tried to pressurize the office-bearers by instructing MCI stogies to issue suspension of registration of President, Secretary and all Office-bearers from registry over a trivial issue. This act by MCI was malafied and illegal as it cannot take action against office bearers of an organization. IMA has promptly approached the Court which issued a stay order and restricted MCI from taking any action against the office bearers of any Association. The only interaction of MCI with the medical fraternity pertains to registration, laying down code of ethics and taking disciplinary action against its members. Today the onus of welfare and protection of medical practitioners squarely lies on the shoulders of IMA. Hence it is my belief that it is high time that we come out of our sheltered existence and convert IMA into a Union which fights for the rights of its members. History has proved that administration and politicians never respond to pleas and prayers and educative arguments put forth by the intelligentsia. They respond only to the might of Unions and arguments put forth from pedestal of strength of members and actions. Let us convert IMA into statutory bodies like British Medical Association (BMA) and American Medical Association (AMA) so that our voice is heard by the concerned Ministry and no policy decisions concerning health and Medical Education is taken up without prior dialogue with IMA. I am sure that our collective unity and mutual co-operation shall see the rise of IMA into a body which shall be respected and feared by the concerned authorities. Lately the credibility of the profession is also at stake due to many challenges and media reporting. The membership at large feels dissociated due to lack of proper information.

We will have to fight tooth and nail with the Govt. legally, politically and socially on these issues. As you all agree that for legal fight, lots of finances are required. As per the decision of the Central Council Meeting held at Jaipur in December 2011, once again, I request all the members to contribute generously in the IMA Action Fund, so that we can take care of all these issues properly. My priority will be to bridge the gap between the IMA office and the membership by percolating the information to the grass root level and involving each and every member in the policy making. The main aim of starting the E news is to disseminate the information through paperless electronic media and also to have two ways faster communication.

I appeal to all my state and local branches to send in all the details of events and happenings in their respective branches to the headquarters so that they could be shared throughout the country. I also request to send the latest directory/soft copy of members along with addresses, emails and mobile numbers so that a databank of members of IMA is created at the headquarter.

I am touched by the response of all the leaders of state/local branches as well as the membership at large for their mass participation in the Dharna on 22.01.011 all over the country. Despite the short notice all the branches organized a well attended dharna. I hope that in future programmes as well as any call from IMA headquarter I will receive the same cooperation, as this will help us in fighting for the cause of fraternity.

Friends, I shall welcome valuable inputs form all IMA members and I assure you that all office-bearers shall strive to make our organization a Monolith on very strong foundations.

I wish all of you season’s greetings and Happy and prosperous 2011.

Let us pledge to start the new beginning with the coming New Year

Long live IMA

Together we will make the difference

DR. D.R.Rai

Hony.Secretary General IMA(HQ)

Email: dr_drrai@yahoo.co.in