Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman presented India’s 2020 Union Budget over the weekend, her second. Whilst it has won praise from Union Health Minister Dr Harsh Vardhan, some in the healthcare sector have expressed dissatisfaction. How much did the Union Budget allocate the health sector? Among the main takeaways of the 2020 Union Budget for […]
IMA
IMA president criticises Ayushman Bharat
The Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare lauded Ayushman Bharat at the end of last year. However, Indian Medical Association (IMA) president Dr Santanu Sen seems unimpressed. “So far 33 states and [union territories] are implementing the scheme,” the Ministry said. “Treatment worth Rs 9,999.76 crore for 6,919,973 hospital admissions has been provided under […]
Kota tragedy: IMA hits out at Government
The Kota tragedy, where more than 100 children have died in the space of a month at the government-run JK Lon Hospital in the Rajasthan city, is in the crosshairs of the Indian Medical Association (IMA). The doctors’ body has hit out at the Government, critiquing their health policies as a contributing factor to the […]
Violence against doctors crackdown in Maharashtra
The Maharashtra state chapter of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has announced it will crack down on violence against doctors in the state, setting up a registry to record details of such instances to leverage in efforts to end the practice. The IMA reports that 75 percent of healthcare workers in India have been the […]
Strike action by doctors in the sights of the Supreme Court
Strike action by doctors has found itself in the crosshairs of the Supreme Court, who have appealed to the Indian Medical Association (IMA) and the Government of India on the subject. Numerous instances of nationwide strike action by doctors have been witnessed in India this year, with reasons varying from violence against them and a […]
Diabetes screening and awareness campaign by the IMA
Coinciding with World Diabetes Day yesterday, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) launched a diabetes screening and awareness drive across the country. Diabetes affects 8.8 percent of India’s adult population with 72,946,400 cases recorded in 2017, according to the International Diabetes Federation. One of the country’s fastest-growing diseases, diabetes cases could number 134 million by 2025. […]
IMA appeals for ordinance on violence against doctors
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for an ordinance to be brought concerning violence against doctors. Legislation, the Healthcare Service Personnel and Clinical Establishments (Prohibition of Violence and Damage to Property) Bill, 2019, has been drafted by the Union Health Ministry and made publicly available for comment, addressing violence […]
Doctors’ strike in Assam following deadly tea estate assault
A statewide strike has been called in Assam by the state’s Indian Medical Association (IMA) chapter following a fatal assault on a doctor at a tea estate. The 24-hour strike will affect medical services in the state tomorrow, as doctors protest the incident which serves as a reminder of the climate of violence which enshrouds […]
NMC Bill signed into law: Opposition continues
Last week, President Ram Nath Kovind signed into law the National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill amidst continued opposition from the medical fraternity. The NMC Bill earned approval from both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha in recent weeks. Its assent by President Kovind initiated one of the biggest healthcare reforms in Indian history, with a […]
Doctors in opposition to NMC Bill
Doctors and medical students alike have come out in force against the National Medical Council (NMC) Bill – with some students going so far as to create copies of the Bill to burn in the streets. The NMC Bill seeks to supersede the Medical Council of India (MCI) for a period of two years, retroactively […]