SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, Jan 27: After the Jharkhand Health Services Association (JHSA), the Indian Medical Association (IMA) is braced up for agitation over long pending demands of the state’s doctors. An emergent meeting of the state working committee has been called at Ranchi on Sunday to finalise the course of action.
IMA state president Dr AK Singh and secretary Dr Pradeep Kumar Singh said that despite the repeated assurance of the health minister Banna Gupta and additional chief secretary (ACS) health Arun Kumar Singh, the government has not initiated any positive steps regarding the amendment to Clinical Establishment Act (CEA) and implementation of Medical Protection Act (MPA) so far.
“So, the first Working Committee meeting of the year has been convened on Sunday at Ranchi to decide the course of action,” said Dr AK Singh and Dr Pradeep Kumar Singh.
In the Working Committee meeting, besides the office-bearer, the district president and secretary of all 24 district chapters and patrons of state associations would participate.
The state government doctors have been already in agitation since December 31 over the biometric attendance issue.
“It looks strange that four months ago at a Nepal House meeting, health minister Banna Gupta and ACS health Arun Kumar Singh agreed on CEA amendment and implementation of MPA. They sought suggestions from IMA and we duly submitted our stand. But no initiative was taken thereafter for the solution of doctors’ problem,” said the IMA secretary.
Dr Pradeep Kumar Singh said that due to CEA, small private hospitals and health centres are being closed in Jharkhand and in absence of MPA doctors, health workers are beaten up and nursing homes are sabotaged by unruly supporters of patients daily in the state. Such incident has triggered massive resentment among doctors in the state.
“Demand for IMA is nothing new. We only want below 50 beds hospital should be exempted from ‘Clinical Establishment Act’ and at par with Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and other states of the country otherwise only government hospitals and corporate nursing homes, that is beyond the reach of poor patients would be left,” said Dr Kumar.
IMA secretary claimed that former chief secretary (CS) DK Tiwary had also expressed concern over the impact of CEA on small private hospitals and health clinics in rural areas.
“IMA is surprised that rather than promoting rural health services, the state health department is encouraging corporate hospitals in urban areas by CEA,” said IMA president and secretary.
