Medical Commission Bill: Health ministry exchanged views with IMA

As the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has called for a strike against the National Medical Commission Bill, Union Health Minister JP Nadda on 2 January said that the ministry had a discussion with the association regarding the issue yesterday.

"We spoke to Indian Medical Association yesterday. We have heard them and put forth our perspective as well," Nadda said in Rajya Sabha today.

The National Medical Commission Bill 2017, which seeks to replace and subsume the Medical Council of India (MCI) with a new body will be tabled in the Rajya Sabha today.

Meanwhile, the Indian Medical Association has called for a one-day strike against the bill today.

The draft bill was introduced by Union Health Minister JP Nadda in Lok Sabha on Thursday.

Aiming to ensure transparency, the bill also seeks to allow practitioners of Ayurveda, Yoga and Naturopathy, Unani, Siddha and Homoeopathy, to practice modern medicine once they complete a short term "bridge" course.

Clause 49 of the Bill calls for a joint sitting of the National Medical Commission, the Central Council of Homoeopathy and the Central Council of Indian Medicine at least once a year "to enhance the interface between homoeopathy, Indian Systems of Medicine and modern systems of medicine".

The bill is also aimed at bringing reforms in the medical education sector which has been under scrutiny for corruption and unethical practices.

-ANI