Doctors, medical students join nationwide strike against NMC bill

Click here to read how the strike has affected patients in Bihar.

Students of Coimbatore Medical College form a human-chain protesting against the National Medical Commission Bill, 2019.

READ: What is National Medical Commission Bill and why doctors are opposing it

Private and state-run hospitals in Kerala hit by the IMA strike. Doctors in private hospitals boycotted out-patient services, while those in state-run hospitals attended only to patients in the out-patient departments.

"The outpatient department in our hospital as well as in other private hospitals are closed, even though we are giving the desired medical attention to in-patients," said a senior doctor attached to a leading private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram told IANS.

In West Bengal, medical students of North Bengal Medical College and Hospital (NBMCH) near Siliguri hold protest against the National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill, 2019.

West Bengal: Medical students of North Bengal Medical College and Hospital (NBMCH) near Siliguri hold protest against the National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill, 2019. pic.twitter.com/gioAqnle2a

— ANI (@ANI) July 31, 2019

In Hyderabad, doctors hold protest against the National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill, 2019, at Osmania Medical College.

Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh, will stage a protest along against the National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill 2019.

"In response to the call by the Indian Medical Association and Resident Doctors Associations across the country. The ARD PGIMER Chandigarh has its full and unconditional support for the cause of nationwide protest against NMC Bill," the organisation said in a press statement.

Calling the Bill "draconian," PGIMER stated that lower house dumped health care and medical education of this country into darkness by approving undemocratic NMC Bill 2019.

The IMA on its website said that by the passage of the Bill, the Lok Sabha has 'dumped healthcare and medical education of this country into darkness'. "The Lok Sabha has approved and passed the draconian NMC Bill yesterday. The democratic lower house has dumped healthcare and medical education of this country into darkness by approving the undemocratic National Medical Commission Bill 2019. IMA HQ calls for 24 hours withdrawal of non essential services on Wednesday 31.07.2019 in protest,” the association said on its website.

Doctors went on strike from 6 am on Wednesday which will continue till Thursday morning. All non-essential services have been withdrawn in the strike. The IMA said that some doctors will also be going on hunger strike during the day.