OPD services across India suspended after IMA calls 12-hour-strike, patients suffer

Outpatient department services at private hospitals were affected across the country after the Indian Medical Association called a 12-hour strike on Tuesday against the National Medical Commission bill.

The bill, which is expected to come up for discussion in the Rajya Sabha today, enables the government to replace the Medical Council of India (MCI).

The IMA, which has nearly 300,000 members, dubbed the bill as anti-people and anti-patient. 

The association warned that the bill would cripple the functioning of medical professionals by making them completely answerable to the bureaucracy and non-medical administrators.

The health ministry had issued an advisory to medical institutions to ensure that all steps were taken to provide emergency services to the masses.

Although emergency services at government hospitals were not affected, doctors wore black bands as a mark of protest.

In Tamil Nadu, government doctors also boycotted OPD services in protest. 

The bill also allows private colleges to decide fees for 60 per cent of seats, which currently stands at 15 per cent.