Service Tax on Health Sector

Dr. Narender Saini, President Delhi Medical Association said that DMA strongly oppose 5% Service Tax on health care industry as it will further increase the cost of medical treatment to a common man. At present more than 70% of health services are provided by the private sector, though the primary responsibility of providing the medical treatment is of the government. Already the services in private sector are very high because of so many taxes on this sector. Due to further increase in the form of service tax many people will not be able to afford their treatment.
Prevention is better than cure. Our finance minister in this budget has put service tax on preventive health checkup also. DMA condemn this proposal. He further added that in develop world government spend, more than 15% of GDP for health services. While in India where infectious diseases are in huge numbers our health budget is just 1% GDP. It is worthwhile to note that our GDP is much smaller as compared to USA/UK etc. In this budget, our Finance Minister has proposed a health sector outlay for 2011-12 for just Rs.26,760 crores, a raise of 20% over the previous year. But it is no increase if we take inflation into account. Medical professionals were expecting that finance minister will announce subsidies like given to IT industry, for those who want to serve in rural population. We demand tax holidays and soft loan to be given to private sector who wants to work in villages. If such kind of incentives are given to doctors, they will be willing to work in rural areas. There is no announcement of opening of more new hospitals/medical colleges.
DMA demands:
1. The introduction of 5% Service Tax of health care sector be scrapped with immediate effect.
2. Increase in the health budget as health is a wealth of nation.
3. Tax holidays and soft loan for doctors who want to serve in villages.
4. Opening of more medical colleges and hospitals in rural areas.
5. Avenues may be explored to ensure the growth of health care sector.
6. Improvement in the infrastructure for doctors serving in the public sector

'Raj'Niti has taken toll on Bihar Relief work.

Doctors from various hospitals in Maharashtra have been providing relief to flood victims in Bihar. Some of them have even taken leaves when hospitals did not sent them officially. Recent agitation in Maharashtra by Maharashtra Navnirman Sena against North Indians has left many doctors fearing a possible retaliation in Bihar. At least a dozen doctors who were to leave for Bihar recently to work in flood relief camps have refused to go citing security reasons. The voluntary organization "Doctors for you" which had started with 40 doctors and was expecting three batches to replace outgoing doctors is now left with only 5 doctors. While an average Indian consider India as one, politicians like Raj Thakare try to create a rift in the society to carry forward their agenda of "Divide and Rule"

Sting operation to improve sex ratio

The Uttar pradesh Government have recently conceived a novel way to crack down on sex determination centres. Ten districts with unfavorable sex ratio have been issued orders to equip themselves with necessary paraphernalia required for sting operation. These will include cameras and recorders to get evidence against errant doctors who indulge in unethical, antisocial and illegal practice of sex determination. Ghaziabad and Gautam Budh Nagar are two such districts. The health department will also train it's staff as decoy customers.

Source : http://epaper.hindustantimes.com/ArticleImage.aspx?article=13_10_2008_007_004&kword=&mode=1&Archtype=

Salary of Resident doctors after 6th pay commission

Ever heard of 6th pay commission recommendation actually reducing pay?
Resident doctors working in various Delhi Government hospitals are an anxious lot these days. The revised recommendation of 6th pay commission does not mention the non-practicing allowance, bringing down their pay scales. The allowance is given when doctors do not practice on their own outside duty hours. "The salary recommended in the 5th pay commission was revised in 1998 after the doctors protested, as this allowance was missing in the initial reommendation. The finance ministry has yet again missed this allowance in the revised 6th pay commission reducing our basic pay packet," said Dr Akhil Kumar, vice president, resident doctors association at Lok Nayak Hospital.
“We support the doctors. Since 1986, resident doctors have been getting salaries as per revised scales. We will write to the government over the issue,” said Dr Anil Bansal, assistant secretary, IMA. According to resident doctors, the government has created huge disparity amongst medical professionals. “Staff nurses with less than one year of experience would be drawing more salary that senior resident doctors. This is just not done,” said Dr Dhirendra Dhiraj, coordinating secretary, federation of resident doctors association (FORDA).
Resident doctors across government hospitals in the Capital went to work wearing black badges on Monday. They will go on strike if the Ministry does not look into the problem within 48 hours.

New Hope for AIDS Patients

The centre has informed the Supreme Court that it has decided to take firm action against doctors and paramedical staff,both in the government and private sectors, for refusing treatment to HIV/AIDS patients.
Apprising a bench headed by Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan about its latest guidelines, issued to state governments and private hospitals, Additional Solicitor General Gopal Subramanium said: "It will be ensured there is no discrimination or stigma to PLHAs (persons living with HIV or AIDS) at health care facilities otherwise. The cases of denial of service to positive patients would be viewed seriously and action initiated in all such cases." A copy of the guidelines, incorporated in an office memorandum dated August 26, was placed before the court. This comes in the backdrop of complaints highlighting the light of patients denied treatment by private hospitals. One such patient recently moved the Supreme Court, alleging that a Mumbai hospital had declined to offer him treatment.

You can find original news at: 'Docs who turn away AIDS patients will pay: Centre'

Insensitive Govermment

A senior resident doctor at King Edward Medical College (KEMC), working in inhospitable conditions had died when lightning struck on a temporary bamboo structure functioning as his clinic in a relief camp in Bihar. But Bihar Government has nothing but condolences to offer to the bereaved family of Dr. Chandrakant Patil . The Calamity relief fund (CRF)accounts for providing immediate relief to victims of Pest attack and cloud brust, not lightning. There is no provision in CRF to pay compensation according to Principal Secretary, Disaster management R K Singh.
Details of Dr Patil at: http://DelhiMedico.googlepages.com/servingthenation

Mob attacks on doctors

The incidence of mob attacks are increasing day by day and the medical profession seems to be facing the burnt of it. It is the result of decreasing tolerance, increasing frustration, expectation of instant gratification, delayed and unequal justice and weakened police system, compounded by sensationalism by media, who judge and pass the verdict on the hapless victims without verifying facts, which then is copied at other places. Mobs are using brute force to get their way. A complication in a patient, or the unfortunate event of death makes the doctor a criminal and a mob collects, acting in an emotional frenzy, leaving all reason and logic behind, and cause irreparable damage to property and the doctor's and hospital's reputation with no repercussion at legal and financial level. If a patient does not want to pay the bills, the family raises a ruckus at the flimsiest excuse, get abusive and get away with it. It is high time for us to get united, strengthen and help each other in the hour of need.
DR. ATUL KUMAR GUPTA  President, IMAEDB 2007-2008