Indore: Government doctors posted in city have joined Indian Medical Association (IMA) to protest against the proposed bridge courses wherein the Centre has permitted alternative medicine practitioners to practice modern medicine. The bridge course, which has started in many states, will be introduced in Madhya Pradesh too.
The IMA and Madhya Pradesh Medical Officers Association (MPMOA) plan to take protest to streets against bridge courses, which they termed it as “Government-sponsored quackery”. The IMA held a meeting in New Delhi in which medical officials from city also participated.
General secretary of MPMOA Dr Madhav Hasani said union health ministry has launched bridge courses in many states for AYUSH practitioners so that they can become eligible for practicing modern medicine. “This is being done to make up for the shortage of doctors in the country. By doing this, government has put life of patients at stake by providing ineligible people to treat them. To be an MBBS doctor, it takes 10 years to study and practice. But government will make these people doctors after few months of training,” he said.
The MPMOA has asked people to join the protest as it is not only against the doctors but also against the patients. Government should provide options to patients to take treatment of their choice and should not impose it on them.Recently, AYUSH doctors had also protested against bridge course for nurses to become community health officer.
Zonal chairman of Indian Medical Association Dr Sanjay Londhe said, “We are protesting against bridge courses for a long time. If AYUSH doctors do not find bridge course of nurses appropriate, then how they can practice modern medicine?” He said protests will be launched after receiving nod from higher-ups.
