NMC bill in place of MCI : World Medical Association criticizes govt, opposes Bill

New Delhi: The Indian Government's plan to dismantle the professional self-governance of Indian physicians, by dismantling MCI and replacing it with proposed National Medical commission has been strongly criticised by the World Medical Association.

Since its introduction, the National Medical commission (NMC) Bill has become the main concern of the medical fraternity, and after seeing protest and disapproval from medical bodies like the Indian Medical Association (IMA), FORDA, RDA AIIMS, it is now facing opposition from  the World Medical Association which has written a letter to the parliamentary standing committee

WMA has asked the government - what is the proof that the NMC bill will be better than existing MCI.

In a letter to the Chairman of India's Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health and Family Welfare, WMA leaders have warned that the Indian Government's Bill to replace the Medical Council of India would lead to more Indian doctors leaving the country, affecting patient care.

The letter, jointly signed by WMA President Dr. Yoshitake Yokokura and WMA Chair Dr. Ardis Hoven, says that 'there is absolutely no evidence from anywhere in the world that the regulation of a profession is better done by government'.

'Professional self-governance is a tried and tested tool for regulating the profession in a responsible and effective way and for protecting it from undue influence, such as economic or political interests'.

The WMA says that professional self-governance facilitates professional autonomy and clinical independence. A shift from a democratically elected, autonomously governed body to a politically established and government directed body would be counterproductive for patients and for furthering the development of the medical profession in India.

The WMA leaders add: 'India suffers from a strong brain drain, especially of physicians to other countries. Taking away a part of their professional identity will increase dissatisfaction and frustration, and probably lead to an even higher attrition rate.

'Indian physicians are working and are welcomed and looked after in many places in this world. Making their home country and their communities less attractive would not be wise.

'With all those factors in mind, we support the efforts of our Indian colleagues to stop or categorically amend this law – for the benefit of Indian physicians and, most importantly, for the benefit of Indian patients and the population'.

Medical Dialogues team had earlier reported that AIIMS RDA in a meeting held with various RDAs from all over India, private practitioners presented their views in NMC bill and explained 11 points of their disapproval in front of the government.