RAJ KUMAR
Ranchi, Aug.21: State Health Minister Banna Gupta’s nod to the Medical Protection Bill, which, he said, is going to be tabled in the forthcoming Assembly session after taking consent of the cabinet, has sparked a debate.
While a section of doctors has expressed pleasure over the development saying it will help fulfil their long-pending demand, another section expressed displeasure saying it will be a remedy worse than the disease.
“Because of this dilly dallying attitude towards the medical fraternity doctors are opting for other states. In Bihar and UP we are witnessing a huge increase in the number of medical colleges but people are reluctant in joining our state medical colleges,” an angry doctor said, requesting anonymity.
The joint secretary of the Indian Medical Association and surgeon, Dr Ajit Kumar, supported both sections. “Something is better than nothing,” he said, supporting the happy section. In support of the unhappy section, Dr Kumar said: “Doubt is genuine in taking the effectiveness of the law.”
Asked Dr Kumar, who played a vital role in saving the lives of people during the second wave of Covid-19, to point out the provisions that make doctors suspicious of its effectiveness, he shared some points.
“Though I have not seen the original copy but on the basis of some of the reports coming to me the act has made a crime against the medical fraternity bailable. Apart from this, it provides the issuance of notice to the accused before his arrest. Punishment for crime is very less. A person committing a crime against the medical fraternity will be imprisoned only for 18 months. The provision of compensation is also low. Earlier it was double the cost of damaged property. Now it is only the cost of damaged property,” Dr Kumar, who was recently awarded by the government for his meritorious service, said supporting the suspicion of the unhappy section.
Contacted a health department official for his comment he said: “New provisions have been approved after correcting the original draft made and approved by the cabinet in 2017. The attempt has been made to make the act acceptable to all without any bias.”
Atul Gera, founder of a voluntary organisation Life Saver, in response to the development, tweeted. “No problem in this @BannaGupta76Ji will you also bring the Patient Protection Bill? Do you know how patients have become victims of the money-minded health system@ Hemant Soren JMM Ji Are we safeguarding the patients and their rights?”
