GUWAHATI, Oct 31 � The State Branch of the Indian Medical Association said in a statement here today that the Gauhati High Court has, through a recent judgement, described the legislation under which the Diploma in Medicine and Rural Health Care Course was introduced by the State Government as unconstitutional in the wake of a case {WP(C) 5789/2005} filed by the IMA State Branch.
The Diploma Course was introduced by the State Government in the name of making healthcare facilities easily available for the rural population by producing some �bare-footed doctors�. The course was run by the State Government under the provisions of the Assam Rural Health Regulatory Authority Act, 2004. The products of the course are known as Rural Health Practitioners, who can practice allopathic medicines.
The 2004 Act was struck down by a Division Bench, comprising Chief Justice (acting) K Shreedhar Rao and Justice Ujjal Bhuyan, as unconstitutional.
IMA Assam State Branch president Dr Manabendra Goswami and State secretary Dr Satyajit Borah have termed this verdict as a victory for the people of the State and more for the constitutional right of the rural people.
The IMA State Branch office-bearers have expressed surprise as to how the government could think of having two separate approaches towards deploying doctors and providing healthcare facilities to the urban and rural people.
