Live: Amid protests from doctors, Rajya Sabha passes NMC Bill

Rajya Sabha passes National Medical Commission Bill, 2019.

Medical students in Kerala protest against National Medical Commission Bill in front of Raj Bhavan in Trivandrum.

Kerala: Medical students protest against National Medical Commission Bill, 2019 in front of Raj Bhavan in Trivandrum. pic.twitter.com/nPCPjWhFCe

— ANI (@ANI) August 1, 2019

As doctors hold strike in the national capital, the patients have to bear the brunt. Patients coming from Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Gujarat for treatment in AIIMS had to leave the hospital premises. They were in queue since Thursday morning and had to leave empty-handed.

Our strike is against some provisions of NMC Bill. Resident doctors have been withdrawn from services. Faculty&consultants are providing services. If govt doesn't listen to us then it would be counted as one of the blackest days in the history of medical fraternity, says a resident doctor

Delhi: Resident doctors sit on strike in AIIMS (All India Institute Of Medical Sciences) against National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill, 2019. Resident Doctors Association is observing a one-day strike against provisions of National Medical Commission Bill,across the nation today pic.twitter.com/hzaQBGEylu

— ANI (@ANI) August 1, 2019

Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education & Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh will also stage a protest along with the Indian Medical Association (IMA) against the Bill. "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," PGIMER said in a press statement.

At 2 pm, the doctors of AIIMS will take out a protest march till Parliament against the Bill.

Maulana Azad Medical College is also protesting against the Bill.

In a letter late on Wednesday night, the Resident Doctors' Association of VMMC and Safdarjung Hospital wrote that they will withdraw all hospital services-including Emergency services and go on an indefinite strike from 9 am on Thursday.

The indefinite strike comes on the same day when the Bill will be tabled in the Rajya Sabha. The Outpatient Department (OPD) and emergency services are likely to be hampered due to the strike.

Doctors across the country went on a 24-hour medical strike from 6 am on Wednesday, withdrawing all non-essential services. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) called for the strike in protest against the passage of the Bill.

While the Centre has called the NMC bill a game-changer set to transform medical education and services in India, many members of the medical fraternity disagree. One of the primary concerns over the NMC Bill is that it will give a boost to quacks and quackery practitioners in rural areas. Doctors claim, under Section 32 of the NMC bill, nearly 3.5 lakh community health providers – mostly quacks-- would be legalised to prescribe drugs.