More than 1,300 resident doctors at Chandigarh's premier healthcare institute PGIMER began an indefinite strike on Saturday in protest against the National Medical Commission Bill. Except emergency and ICU services, outpatient department (OPD) services remained affected at the Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) here. "Resident doctors withdrew all hospital services on Saturday. But emergency and ICU services were not disrupted," PGIMER Association of Resident Doctors president Uttam Thakur said. PGIMER authorities has advised patients that all routine services, including OPD and elective procedure, will remain suspended till further notice. Stating that they had no intention to cause inconvenience to patients, the protesting doctors said that they had no option but to go on with strike against some of the provisions of the NMC Bill. Doctors have been protesting against some of the provisions of the NMC Bill which has been passed by Rajya Sabha. They have been raising concerns regarding the role of community health providers (CHP) vis-a-vis trained doctors, and the NEXT (National Exit Examination). They are also against the provision of the Bill which empowers the Centre to override the decisions/recommendations of National Medical Commission and Autonomous Boards.
