Clinical Establishment Act: Doctors, medical professionals in West Bengal to observe ‘black day’ on April 27

“It’s great that IMA has decided to observe a black day. Demands related to amendments of dangerous clauses (of the Act) remains unheard. We have already filed a plea in the Supreme Court. We are already fighting it legally. We are hopeful that maximum number of doctors will support this protest,” President of IMA (South Kolkata) Dr R D Dubey told The Indian Express.

The protest will be a peaceful demonstration. “We shall be registering our solidarity with the suffering doctors of West Bengal. The Act is unacceptable to doctors, healthcare workers and hospitals,” said a member of IMA, Kolkata.

According to sources, all the branches have been directed to lodge their disagreement through this protest. The members will wear black badges while hospitals and clinics will hang black cloth in their notice boards. This apart, all state branches will be sending uniformly formatted e-mails opposing the Act to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, they added.

The IMA has also decided to organise a signature campaign on the same day, a copy of which will be sent to Mamata. They are also planning a social media campaign, sources said.

Around 20 IMA units across the country had recently moved the apex court, seeking changes in some clauses in the Act, which they believe are against the doctors and healthcare sector. As per IMA members, they are still open for negotiation and ready to engage in dialogue with the government.