Medical services in Ruia hospitals paralysed in Tirupati

Tirupati: Medical services in Ruia Government General Hospital and all nursing homes were paralysed on Thursday as doctors and junior doctors observed bandh in protest against the controversial National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill.

As part of the ongoing agitation across the country, a bandh call was given by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) and joined with medicos, who were on their seventh day of the protests. As a result, except emergency services, all other services were stopped by the doctors.

While IMA doctors have observed bandh for 12 hours, AP Government Doctors Association (APGDA) also expressed its solidarity to the protest and participated in the bandh from 9 am to 12 noon.

More than 1,000 doctors and students have gathered at Ruia Hospital early in the morning and raised slogans against the NMC Bill. IMA Tirupati branch President Dr G Parthasarathi Reddy and other members also sat at the protest venue and raised slogans.

Medical students and junior doctors of SV Medical College, Sri Padmavati Medical College for Women and SVIMS reached there in rallies displaying placards opposing NMC Bill. The slogans on placards include, "Show some bloody respect to doctors", "Doctors don't want to be the 'NEXT' victims", and "We oppose injustice to medicos and poor".

Referring to the recent attacks by patients and police on medicos, a poster was displayed with the message "Not only by the patients–we are being thrown away to be beaten up by police too".

The leaders of APGDA, IMA and JUDAs have strongly demanded the Central Government to amend or withdraw four clauses in the bill. They stressed that they were not opposing the entire bill but have objection on four clauses which the government can resolve amicably by holding discussion with doctors. They were also demanding action against TTD Vigilance Officer Ashok Goud, who has allegedly hit a medico with his legs on Wednesday when they were protesting at Alipiri.

It was learnt that police have sent the complaint copy against Ashok to the TTD EO. The medicos were strongly opposing National Eligibility Test (NEXT) saying that it will give no value to the four-and-half-year study and their performance in examinations as they need to write NEXT again to qualify for practicing as a doctor.

Also, the new bill will encourage quackery and will make no difference between MBBS graduates and others as they too can practice by simply getting through a bridge course. It will slowly inject poison into the system, they opined and said that their agitation is for the future of this country. They were asking whether such bridge courses be allowed in other professions too thereby allowing non-professionals to complete it and become professionals.

However, several patients having no knowledge about the bandh reached Tirupati from surrounding districts too to get medical services in various nursing homes have faced trouble in terms of time and money.

SV Engineering College students also reached Ruia Hospital to express solidarity to the medicos whereas students from Apollo Medical College, Chittoor and PES Medical College, Kuppam are expected to participate in the agitation at Tirupati on Friday.