An appeal to all medical fraternities

Respected and dear colleagues, Thousands and thousands martyrs sacrificed their precious lives before and after independence, still our beloved motherland is incarcerated under an all engulfing big capital ruthless industrialists repressive feudal lords corrupted politicians characterless bureaucrats murderer mafias nexus spread far and wide. In health sector, since independence, three major national policies, one major national mission, more than ten major national committees and working groups, more than thirty major national programmes, twelve fifth year plans and billions and billions revenues, loans and aids were wasted without attaining basic and essential health for our 120 crore (1.2 billion) population. India, signatories of Almati Health for All by 2000 AD declaration and New York Millennium Development Goals, could not keep its commitment. Every day more and more people are entering into BPL owing to beyond capability expenditure on emergency and essential treatment. Whatever minimum was achieved in colonial era and first 20 25 years after independence, had been systematically wiped out through privatization, commercialization and corporatization. Our West Bengal, along with few neighbouring BOMARU states, is hosting the largest single concentration of poorest, underfed, undernourished, under-weight, undertreatment, chronically sick and unemployed population in the world. 35 years LF rule presented us a regimented, distorted, corrupted, partisan and anti-people health system, now five months TMC government is presenting us a no system of anarchy and adhocism with complete appeasement to private capital and private profiteering. LF enacted laws for protection of star private hospitals who evaded all laws in connivance with corrupted politicians and bureaucrats and freely exploited common people. Now TMC is enacting laws for salutation to their hoodlum leaders roaming inside hospital campuses. Some of our dedicated colleagues are working hard for the community through Medico Friend Circle, Sramajeevee Haspatal, Durbar Mahila Samannoy Samity, Dwarka Nath Kotnis Memorial, Dr. Norman Bethun Janaswasthya Committee, Drug Disease Doctors, Rural Surgeons Association, Rural Doctos Association, Medical Service Centre, Sramajeevee Swasthya Udyog, Forum for Peoples Health, Peoples Relief Committee etc. We are respectful to them and are supporting their initiatives. Their initiatives helped a lot to the people of their areas of work. But it could not create a substantial impact on government and society at large. We earnestly feel, apart from these individual, group and organizational initiatives and exercises, we should come up, unite and formulate a minimum common charter of demands on important health issues and should develop a democratic peoples health movement. We should also interact with contemporary and pertinent issues. In this context we may keenly watch and study the following issues:

1. Proposed National Health Bill 2. Proposed Common Medical Entrance Examination 3. Proposed BPL cut off line 4. Proposed Peoples Representative Bill 5. Proposed Vision 2015 6. Proposed PPM Hospital in district hospital land 7. Proposed Health Districts 8. Modus Operandi of Health Corporation 9. Proposed engagement policy by passing PSC 10. Proposed Government and Private Medical Colleges 11. Functioning of MCI, WBMC, Joint Monitoring Mission etc. 12. Vote of accounts of Health Budget by TMC government Considering our previous experiences we should be alert and should pledge: 1. We will not work for personal gain, name, fame, money, power and prize as well as factional profiteering 2. Whatever minimum we contribute, contribute honestly, sincerely and in a transparent way and all contributions will be accepted with honour 3. We should be respectful to others and should not blame, ridicule, taunt or be humble others and their initiatives 4. We may propagate but cannot force to include our ideas, morals, plans, programmes etc. if it is not accepted by the house 5. We may have differences which we will resolve through discussions democratically 6. We should not dilute, deviate, delay or jeopardize the rudimentary initiative by unnecessary talk, debate, blockade etc. 7. We should have mentality to learn from others and work for the community 8. We should talk less and work more and work resolutely and persistently 9. We are not against the government or against any organization, we are only for the community. 10. We will act as a democratic platform, not as an organization or mass organization of a party or group or an organization in disguise. Any individual or any organization can work with us. UNITED WE, ACCOMPLISH WE MUST Thank you all,