IMA all Set to Send a Legal Notice to NCERT Over Defamation of Private Hospitals in Book

Image Source

The Indian Medical Association (IMA), the highest non-political body of registered doctors across the country, is all set to send a legal notice to the National Council of Education Research and Training (NCERT) authorities on Monday.

The notice is over the negative portrayal of private hospitals in NCERT's class 7 textbook.

The IMA has also threatened to move court against the NCERT if it does not respond to the legal notice by deleting the 'controversial' portion allegedly against private doctors in the council's social science textbook.

"We have finalised the legal notice and it will be sent to the NCERT on Monday. This is a negative portrayal of doctors and we will move court against NCERT if it does not respond to our legal notice soon," Dr KK Agarwal, honorary secretary general of IMA, told HT on Sunday afternoon.

"The PMO has also acknowledged our grievances recommending the issue to the Union education secretary. We demand deletion of the controversial portion that has portrayed private doctors and healthcare services in negative light in the NCERT textbook," Agarwal said.

Demanding immediate remedial action, IMA has already written to President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi drawing their attention on the 'objectionable depiction', he added.

The textbook In Social Political Life II Chapter 2: Role of Government in health, sub-head: Private health facilities, says, "In order to earn more money, these private services encourage practices that are incorrect. At times, cheaper methods, though available, are not used. For example, it is common to find doctors prescribing unnecessary medicines, injections or saline bottles when tablets or simple medicines can suffice."

The textbook, on pages 22-23, has also published a comic strip virtually criticising the private healthcare services.

The comic strip has highlighted the 'difference in treatment' in government and private hospitals.

The chapter has also given a clear difference in treatment charges between government and private sector hospitals for same illness. According to the NCERT textbook, the cost of treating the same illness is ' 3,500 in private healthcare and ' 150 in government hospitals. "This will give a wrong message to both students and common people. Reading this chapter, students will feel that the private sector fleeces its patients," said RD Dubey, a former office bearer of the IMA's Bengal branch.

Doctors said content like this in NCERT textbooks will brainwash students and ruin their faith in private healthcare services.

"I am not aware of the topic in the NCERT's social science textbook for Class 7. I think it may be a mistake on part of the council if it portrayed the private healthcare system in such a negative light. This should be rectified. The NCERT authorities should have been well informed about the contributions of the private healthcare providers," said Dr Rupali Basu, president of both Apollo Gleneagles Hospital in Kolkata and Association of Hospitals in Eastern India.

Source: click4college