Stage set for TSMC election after 17 years; violence against docs, quackery top issues

Hyderabad: For the first time after 2006, the election to Telangana State Medical Council (TSMC) will be held in November this year.

While candidates from the Indian Medical Association (IMA), Telangana State, are independently filing their nominations, 13 members from the Healthcare Reforms Doctors’ Association (HRDA) have already completed their nomination filing process.

However, there is much more to watch out for in this election than it is a contest between senior, experienced doctors from IMA versus younger doctors from HRDA.

The election gains importance in the backdrop of several pending issues including relentless acts of violence against doctors, the need for eradication of quackery, post-graduate seat reservations for local students, strengthening primary healthcare, etc. However, doctors feel the need for an active body, which can take up the various issues and address them for the welfare of doctors as well as for better patient care.

In the absence of a proper functioning platform for doctors and some of the senior physicians from IMA joining politics, it becomes all the more necessary for the TSMC body to be formed for unbiased solutions to the issues plaguing the doctors.

President of HRDA Dr. K Mahesh Kumar one of the contestants for the TSMC election, said, “The credit goes to HRDA for the much-needed elections, which are being held after a gap of 17 years. As per norms, every five years, elections are supposed to be held. We had filed three writ petitions and had approached the Supreme Court and finally, the election is scheduled to be held in the last quarter of this year. The rights of around 48,000 doctors registered under NMC need to be protected. The filing of nominations has been completed from our end.”

The issue that we would take up in TSMC are eradication of the unscientific quackery system, which is causing a lot of problems for doctors. Around 60,000 quacks are practicing and illegally prescribing medicines in the state but the government is not doing anything about it. From misleading people, complicating their illnesses, and pushing them to deaths to misuse of antibiotics, a lot of evils are associated with quackery. We would like to streamline the system and also take up the problem of violence against doctors. Moreover, we have been requesting the government to reserve 85 % of management quota seats for PG medicos from Telangana state as most of the other states have done, non-payment of stipends by private medical colleges is another issue.”

Speaking about their priority areas, Dr Prabhukumar Challagali, president of IMA, Banjara Hills branch and member of Antiquackery Committee, TSMC, who has filed for nominations said, “Violence against doctors by patients’ relatives, often instigated by local politicians is a major problem for doctors. In 90 % of cases, the police do not help and ask for out-of-court, out-of-police-station settlements. We want attacks on doctors to be a non-bailable offence with seven years of imprisonment. The lack of stringent punishment causes such frequent incidents of violence.”

He said the politicians also often insult and use foul language against doctors, which sets a very bad example and lowers the morale of doctors. “Apart from protecting the rights of doctors, which I had been fighting for, anti-quackery will be another agenda. The quacks are all backed by politicians for vote banks in both the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. The arrest of quacks causing harm to people and society is needed. Regular payment and hike of stipends for postgraduate doctors and 85 % management quota seat reservation for local medical students are the other agendas that I want to take up in TSMC,” he said.

There are around 30,000 doctors enrolled with the state IMA. Over 20,000 doctors chose to remain independent without joining IMA, which is not very active in protecting the rights and addressing doctors’ issues, say its members.

“At present, many senior doctors from IMA are joining any of the political parties, be it BRS or BJP or Congress. Under such a scenario, the issues of doctors will be pushed in the background and will not be dealt with impartially, if doctors side with one of the political parties. Therefore, this TSMC election is extremely important to elect unbiased doctors who would be working solely for the welfare of the medical fraternity,” added Dr Prabhukumar.

As per the election schedule, the election will be held by postal ballot. The last date to receive voted ballot papers is on November 30. The counting of votes will commence from December 1. There would be 13 elected members and some nominated members apart from some default positions such as the vice chancellor of KNRUHS, director of health (DH), and the director of medical education (DME). From among the elected members, the chairman and vice-chairman will be chosen. The new TSMC is expected to start functioning from December 2023 or January 2024.