Indian Medical Association

Doctors's strike to continue as meeting with health ministry inconclusive

The stir was in response to a call from the Federation of Resident Doctors' Association (FORDA)

Doctors allege medical college flouting govt order on jobs for disabled

Dr Sujith Jose, a wheelchair-bound urologist serving in a government hospital in Kerala, cannot apply for the same job in the premier Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (JIPMER) in Puducherry due to its "insensitive and illogical" disability criteria. According to the latest office memorandum (OM) of JIPMER for the recruitment of disabled medical professionals, any faculty in the urology department needs to have the functional ability to sit, stand and walk among other things. Jose, 34, who suffered spinal injuries while undergoing urology training, performs all these functions with the help of his wheelchair which the OM hasn't specified making him disqualified for the post. A recipient of a scholarship from the Society of International Urology in 2022 for a functional and female urology fellowship from CES University Medellin in Colombia, Dr Jose said, "I have got special training to perform urological surgeries using a standing wheelchair. Develop

NMC not in agreement to allow pharmacists to write prescription: MoS Health

The National Medical Commission has not agreed to Pharmacy Council of India's proposal to allow pharmacists to write prescription, saying writing a prescription is dependent on examining patients and making a diagnosis, the government said on Friday. Minister of State for Health Bharati Pravin Pawar said this in a written reply to a question in Lok Sabha. Pawar also said the recruitment of pharmacists in government hospitals, their salaries and the eligible qualification for becoming pharmacists in hospitals in any state is governed by the rules of the respective state. However, she added, the Pharmacy Council of India has issued Pharmacy Practice Regulations, 2015, and amendments thereafter, as per which there is a provision for Pharm D graduates to work in the hospitals in various positions. Besides, D Pharm and B Pharm graduates are eligible to work as community pharmacists in collaboration with physicians and other health care professionals to provide patient care, which optimi

When it comes to infections, mild fever may be better than medicines: Study

It may be better to let a mild fever run its course rather than reaching for medicines, suggests a new animal study which found that slight temperature could help clear infections faster. The study, published in the journal Immunology and Inflammation, shows that a mild fever helped fish clear their bodies of infection rapidly, controlled inflammation and repaired tissue damage. "We let nature do what nature does, and in this case it was very much a positive thing, said immunologist Daniel Barreda, lead author of the study, from the University of Alberta in Canada. "Moderate fever is self-resolving, meaning that the body can both induce it and shut it down naturally without medication," Barreda explained. The researchers noted that health advantages of natural fever to humans still have to be confirmed through research, but because the mechanisms driving and sustaining fever are shared among animals, it is reasonable to expect similar benefits are going to happen in humans. The st

Amid rising cases in the country, two individuals succumb to H3N2 virus

The H3N2 influenza virus is one of the many variants of the influenza virus. The virus can affect human health adversely. So far, India has reported a total of 90 cases of H3N2 influenza

Influenza outbreak in several cities as patients report prolonged illness

Influenza outbreak: According to doctors, this is due to Influenza A subtype H3N2 virus, and it is causing viral fever, common flu, and influenza-like symptoms, including respiratory illness

IMA advises against antibiotic use amid rising H3N2 flu cases in India

"Whenever there will be a real use of antibiotics, they will not work due to the resistance," the IMA wrote

Use AB-PMJAY funds for private sector: IMA tells govt ahead of Budget

The funds for the Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojna (AB-PMJAY) should be used exclusively for the private sector for strategic purchase and creating a retainer system and not for critical gaps in the funding of government hospitals, the IMA has suggested. In its proposal to the government for consideration in the upcoming Union Budget, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has said deficit funding is the most important cause behind the lack of penetration of the AB-PMJAY. If the funding has to be raised to at least the CGHS (Central Government Health Scheme) level, then the amount required is around Rs 1.6 lakh crore, the doctors' body said. The money being provided now is around Rs 12,000 crore, it said, adding that it is not possible to deficit finance to this level. Insufficient fund allotment is the root cause of the unrealistically low package rates, the IMA said. "AB-PMJAY should remove the unjust exclusion criteria for procedures imposed on private hospitals,"

Doctors urge govt to allow fourth booster dose for medical fraternity

They say protective effect of vaccine lasts nine months to a year. For health workers that period is already over and this is the right time to boost their immunity

Mandaviya interacts with IMA doctors, asks them to join fight against Covid

Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Monday virtually interacted with about 100 doctors from across the country and members of the Indian Medical Association

Health Minister to hold meeting with Indian Medical Association today

The IMA informed that Mandaviya will hold the meeting via video conferencing at 4 pm regarding the Covid-19 situation and preparedness

Avoid public gatherings, international travel amid fresh Covid scare: IMA

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has advised people to avoid public gatherings such as wedding ceremonies, political or social meetings as well as international travel amid a rising number of COVID-19 cases in some countries, including China. In an advisory issued on Thursday, the IMA also appealed to people to go for vaccination against the viral disease, including taking the precaution dose, and follow Covid-appropriate behaviour such as using masks at public places and following social-distancing norms. According to reports, around 5.37 lakh fresh cases of the infection were reported in a 24-hour period recently from countries such as the United States, Japan, South Korea, France and Brazil, the IMA said. "With the robust infrastructure in the public as well as the private sector, dedicated medical manpower, proactive leadership support from the government and availability of sufficient medicines and vaccines, India will be able to manage any eventualities as done in the past

Delhi HC defers hearing till August 30 on doctors' plea against Ramdev

The Delhi High Court Friday deferred hearing till August 30 on a lawsuit by several doctors' associations over the use of Coronil and said that judicial propriety and discipline demanded that proceedings be restrained until there is some clarity concerning the pendency of allegedly similar issues before the Supreme Court. Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhani asked that a copy of the petition by the Indian Medical Association pending before the apex court be placed before the high court to enable it to take a call on whether there is any commonality and if it should proceed any further. Judicial discipline demands that I restrain further proceedings in the matter till they (defendants) get some clarity (from the Supreme Court). I will ask them to file a copy of the Supreme Court petition on the record here. I will defer the proceedings today, the judge said. Several doctors' associations moved the high court last year, alleging that Ramdev was misleading and misrepresenting to the public at

SC to hear plea of IMA on campaign against vaccination, modern medicines

A bench of CJI, Justice Krishna Murari was told that a concerted effort is being made to discourage vaccinations, including the COVID-19 jab drive, and the use of allopathic medicines in the country.

IMA urges FM Sitharaman to grant GST exemption to healthcare services

Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Saturday wrote a letter to Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman requesting to grant exemption in Goods and Services Tax (GST) for healthcare services.Citing in a letter, IMA mentioned that the 47th GST Council meeting has recommended that "Like CTEPs, common bio-medical waste treatment facilities for treatment or disposal of biomedical waste shall be taxed at 12 per cent so as to allow them ITC."IMA said these facilities were earlier in the GST exempted category and will be taxed post-July 18.47th GST Council meeting has also recommended that "Room rent, excluding ICU, exceeding Rs 5,000 per day per patient charged by the hospital will also be taxed at 5 per cent, without ITC."The IMA said, in its letter, that this facility was also GST exempted category and was to be effective from July 18."We, as the collective voice of all establishments and doctors of the country, express our serious concerns and objections to these new taxes in the ...

National Doctors' Day 2022: PM Modi greets 'all hardworking doctors'

IMA first celebrated National Doctors' Day on July 1, 1991, to pay tribute to Dr Bidhan Chandra Roy on his birth anniversary

IMA seeks postponement of NEET-PG exam, writes to Health Minister Mandaviya

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has written to Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya requesting postponement of the NEET-PG examination which is to be held on May 21

Doctors' strike hits outpatient departments across Jharkhand

The OPD services were affected in most government and private hospitals of Jharkhand following a 12-hour strike called by the two forums

IMA urges PM to accommodate Ukraine-returned students in Indian colleges

The IMA has recommended that this could be done following the modalities of distribution of students in other medical schools in India if an ongoing medical college is closed

IMA urges PM to help bring back young medical students stranded in Ukraine

The doctors' body urged Modi to help them financially and also create a dedicated helpdesk for medical students