SUBHASH MISHRA
Ranchi, March 20: While only seven days have been left for the crucial elections of the Ranchi district chapter of Indian Medical Association (IMA), both the candidates for the president’s post, Dr Shambhu Prasad Singh and Dr Shekhar Choudhary Kajal. have underlined their priority to woo 1600 doctors of the state capital.
Ranchi IMA chapter biennial election (2023-25) is scheduled on March 26. Over 1600 doctor voters of Rajendra Institute of Medical Science (RIMS), government health department and corporate nursing homes will select president, two vice-presidents, one secretary and a treasurer.
Three candidates, Dr Beauty Banerjee, Dr Jaya Shankar and Dr Abhishek Ramdhin are in the race for two posts of vice-president. Dr Banerjee was vice-president in outgoing committee. Dr Jaya Shankar was treasurer in previous committee but this time she’s contesting for the post of vice-president.
Dr Pankaj Bodra and Dr Amresh Kumar are all set to be elected as new secretary and treasurer respectively. Outgoing secretary Dr Sudhir Kumar is not contesting this time.
The contest for the post of president between two veteran candidates, outgoing president Dr Shambhu Prasad Singh and former IMA state body secretary Dr Shekhar Choudhary Kajal is the centre of attraction for the state capital doctors.
Dr Kajal was Ranchi IMA secretary in 2004- 06 and state IMA secretary for two terms from 2009 to 2013.
At the same time, Dr Shambhu Singh was IMA Ranchi chapter secretary in 2019- 2021 and president in 2021-2023.
Since the election of Ranchi IMA is being seriously watched by doctors and state government officials, both the candidates for president post have underlined their priorities to woo the voters.
Dr Kajal said if he wins he would again submit the health proposals to the health minister for betterment of patients and doctors which he handed over to the then health minister Dr Dinesh Sarangi in 2004.
“ At present, assault on doctors is a major issue. I feel such incidents have increased these days due to gap of communication between patients and doctors. I would start to bridge the communication gap,” he said.
Dr Kajal said the state cabinet has passed a new draft of Medical Protection Act. “But there are many deficiencies in it. If he wins, he would try to make it perfect. The present Clinical Establishment Act is also against health services of the poor,” he added.
On the other hand, Dr Prasad said that if he becomes president again he would talk to the government for making IMA building at par with Press Club.
“My priority would be to ensure regular payment of Ayushman Bharat insurance scheme to hospitals/ doctors,” he said. Dr Shambhu Prasad, who has played a major role in framing of the MPA, said that he would work for amendment to the Clinical Establishment Act so that doctors/ nursing homes, diagnostic centres in Ranchi are not tortured in the name of Pc-PNDT Act and other”.
