IMA as on today

IMA as on today A meeting of the IMA Action Committee & State Presidents’ & Secretaries’ Annual Review Meeting was held on 27th August, 2017 at New Delhi where following issues were deliberated and passed: • IMA is planning an IMA fast for nonviolence on 2nd October where every doctor will fast from Dusk to Dawn and will continue its efforts in persisting with its demands with the government, the nonviolent way. • IMA is against criminal prosecution of doctors unless mens rea or an intention to harm can be established. • IMA takes strong objection to the application of Section 308 on doctors of Gorakhpur Medical College for administrative lapses. The concerned officers could have been suspended/transferred, as is usually done, so that a fair inquiry can be conducted, but not to charge them with penal provisions until the report of the inquiry. The recent widespread violence in Haryana after Ram Rahim was convicted was also due to a system failure. But, only the DSP was suspended. Also, Section 308 was not applied in this case. • IMA has requested that all health care providers (interns, PG, doctors) to be mandatorily given vaccination by their employers. • All IMA members will conduct school health program under Aao School Chalen programme on the 5th of every month. • All IMA members should either conduct Aao Gaon/Slum Chalen Project for the community or participate in antenatal services camp as the case may be on the 9th of every month. • To build up the professional image of IMA and to raise various issues, IMA is coming out with series of advertisements. IMA brought out 14 half page advertisements in Indian Express during the monsoon parliament session and will bring out 15 full page advertisements in the winter parliament session. IMA also regularly releases advertisements in newspapers regarding public health. • Past is past. IMA does not want to go into the controversy whether or not the practice of “cuts and commissions” is prevalent in the society. IMA has issued a circular to all its member doctors informing them that they are only entitled to charge for consultation, skilled procedure and medical services provided to their patients. • Doctors are brand ambassadors for the society and IMA has decided that over 1 lakh members of IMA will pledge their organ donation on NOTTO website before 2nd October. • IMA has declared MDR TB as a public health emergency and the new IMA campaign, which is the 2nd freedom struggle will be IMA TB Initiative: GTN. G is for diagnosis of TB using GeneXpert test, T is for tracing the contacts and treat them and N stands for Notifying (mandatory) TB patients. • IMA Adverse action reporting has been made mandatory by IMA for all its members at helpline Number 9717776514. • IMA has also appointed Honorary IMA Professors as academic Brand Ambassadors of the profession all over the country. • IMA is also campaigning to check the menace of Antimicrobial Resistance, which is a new epidemic of the society. • IMA has also offered to the Govt. to adopt a few different tribal areas on a PPP Model. • IMA has also written to all its members to promote Digital Payment while dealing with their patients. • IMA has also directed all its State Branches to make use of all public events in their respective states like Melas and Fairs and conduct public health activities in the same. • IMA has also written to the ministry to consider risk hazard allowances for all doctors working in various hospitals starting from their internship. • IMA is against any hospital (Govt. or Private) having more than 85% bed occupancy rate. All patients getting admitted where the occupancy is more than 85% should be referred to the nearest empanelled hospitals and in case of Government, the expenses should be borne by the government. IMA can, in no way, justify or support the Government’s move for not denying any admission and keeping two patient on one bed. To maintain quality and safety, such cases should be referred to the nearest hospitals where facilities are available and the expenses should be borne by the hospitals on predefined terms and conditions. • Residents of the hospitals should not be allowed to work more than 48 hours in a week and the practice of moonlighting should be introduced in Govt./Private Hospitals where doctors from outside can be appointed as an ad hoc locum on hourly basis. • IMA has also decided to promote Khadi, our cultural heritage. During its CWC meeting, all doctors should wear a Khadi Apron and will support the campaign for Swadeshi Khadi as a healthy cloth. • IMA new policy for Blood Donation is to collect blood in multiple bags to facilitate separation of components. • IMA is coming out with sustained campaign on Swachh Bharat. Disclaimer: The views expressed in this write up are entirely my own.