Doctors miffed with PM Modi's remarks on them in London

April 22, 2018 15:11

The Indian Medical Association and Mumbai Association of Medical Consultant has expressed disappointment over Prime Minister Narendra Modi's statement in London where he had highlighted the alleged nexus between doctors and pharmaceutical firms and said that doctors attend conferences abroad to promote these companies.

The medical bodies have written a letter to the PM expressing their dissent over his statement.

In a press statement, IMA Secretary-General Dr RN Tandon said that the health system of the country would collapse without Indian doctors and added that the statement made by the PM is not accepted.

"Indian doctors have brought international acclaim and repute due to their world-class proficiency and skill. Engaging in small talk and maligning the entire medical fraternity in India with a broad brush on foreign soil was certainly not expected out of the prime minister of the country," Dr Tandon said in the statement.

"IMA expresses its displeasure on your unfortunate remarks," he added.

He also alleged that the doctors of India are being "suppressed and exploited" by every means possible and put the onus of the "mess in healthcare" on the Centre.

The statement further read that the IMA has always supported the use of generic drugs, but the only hitch is the issue of quality assurance.

"The current level of quality testing by the Centre is less than one percent of the total drugs manufactured in such a state of affairs how can doctors betray the confidence of the patients and support the populistic posturing of the Government?" Dr Tandon asked.

He further assured the PM that the day the Central Government would be able to assure the quality of all the drugs manufactured in India, they will "find the doctors of this country wanting."

"India has a robust price control policy for drugs. This being so why does the government allow huge profit margin in the Pharmaceutical industry?" Dr Tandon asked.

"Why a pharmaceutical company allowed pricing the same drug categorised under different names with different profit margins?" he said, adding that the Indian doctors in no way control the price of drugs or stems.

IMA national president Dr Ravi S Wankhedkar also expressed anguished over prime minister's statement and asked him to reconsider it.

"We are all saddened by Prime Minister Modi's remarks on Indian doctors, that also in a country (United Kingdom) where medical system is run by 70 percent Indians. Issues like medicine prices are in hands of government, not us. We humbly request the Prime Minister to reconsider his remark," Dr Wankhedkar said.

Meanwhile, AMC has also expressed displeasure over the remark and said that the talk of the Prime Minister on a foreign land should have highlighted the "good in India and not the bad."

-- ANI

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