National Integrated Medical Association - Activities and Achievements

Activities and Achievements

• • • National Integrated Medical Association has strongly protested against Union Health Ministry & MCI's proposal to start new three & half years course (BRMS) for rural health.

1. Formed all-India organisation of the Integrated Medical Community in the country. Association nominees could win the election to the state Boards and Faculties in Maharastra, Punjab and the election to the CCIM.

2. The fight of integrated practitioners to practice modern medicine was established in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Punjab, HP, MP, and West Bengal etc. Today, in most of the states we are recognised as registered medical practitioners under the Drug Rules, 1945

3. The Association continuously strived for getting the Indian Medicine Central Council Bill properly amended since its introduction in the parliament and launched a big agitation against the injustice done to the integrated practitioners in the Bill, which won with the help of a number of advocates and friends in the Parliament of India. Though the protogonists of Shuddha Ayurveda with the support of the Health Minister of the Centre succeeded in withholding the amendments in our favour, the Association did not give up the fight and continued to pursue the issue with the Government, the Central Council of Health and the Central Council of Indian Medicine and as a result, has succeeded in getting many resolutions regarding the separate categorisation of the Integrated qualifications in the IMCC Act, passed in the meeting of the Central Council of Health and Central Council of Indian Medicine.

4. The Association stands for the establishment of the National System of Medicine by fusion of the best from our ancient Indian and Western system of Medicine, to suit the needs of the people of this country. The Association submitted a memorandum on the National Medical Education Policy and the National Health Policy to the Central Government and pleaded for its adoption in the Health Ministers Conference.

5. The Association representatives were nominated by the Union Government on the Health committee of the Planning Commission and its Task Force, the CCIM, the Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia Committee, FP Standing Committee, Scientific Advisory Committee of the CCRAS etc. The Government invited the Association representatives for CCH Meeting, a Health Ministers Conference and Family Planning conference.

6. National Service

(a) Funds: The NIMA raised funds for Cyclone Relief, Flood Relief, National Defence Fund etc. and paid sizable contributions to the Prime Minister and the CNS from time to time. The Association organised Flood/Famine Relief Team (for medical relief to the affected) in Bihar, UP, Delhi, AP, Maharashtra and Gujrat.

b) Family Welfare: The work done by NIMA in the field of FW has been commendable with the strong help from the Family Planning Association of India and the Govt. the Association has organised 38 big conferences in all parts of the country to involve ISM & Homeopathic Practitioners in the National FW Programme. Through these conferences 12,000 practitioners were educated in all FP measures. The organisation of 17 district conferences in FW on 14 December 1986 simultaneously involved around 4000 practitioners of Maharashtra.. The Government of India has recognised the members of NIMA to undertake Vasectomy and Tubectomy operations as private practitioners. The involvement of members in the National Programme is increasing.

(c) Socio-Medical Services: Many Branches of NIMA regularly conducted free/cheap immunisation clinics health check-up camps, free diagnostic and treatment camps for TB, epilepsy, mentally retarded and operative camps for Cataract, physically handicapped and for family planning operations. Some Branches have adopted nearby villages for total health care.

The Association pleads with all authorities for equal status and opportunities for Integrated graduate with that for MBBS- in terms of pay scale, service conditions, allowances and promotions since 1947. In some states pay scales and allowance have been revised, there have been appointments for its graduates as PHCs and getting promotions even after 15 to 20 years of Government Service. Maharashtra Government decided to give 90% grants to Ayurved & ? modern medicine teaching institutions and "equal pay scales and allowances" for teachers in Ayurved & medical colleges.

8. Service to the Members a) The Association has attended to professional problems of individual members also its capacity and got grievances of many members redressed by pursuing them with the authorities.

9. The Association has built organisation of teachers in some integrated system of medicine colleges, Efforts are made to start refresher and regular training courses in various specialities for members through the Institute of Integrated Medical Sciences under NIMA.

10 There is need to appoint teachers from main stream modern scientific medicine to teach subjects like pharmacology, pathology & medicine,so that students from integrated system of medicine can serve Indian health system more efficiently.

Mutual Benefit Scheme - NIMA started this scheme to help the family of the member after his death, which is unique.