Doctors of IMA  and ISAR protested against ART act and  the suicide of Dr Archana Sharma in Rajasthan

Reports show that India has about 30000 couples in the reproductive age group suffering from infertility at a given time.

We have about 1800 IVF Centers and many IUI clinics across India and our success rate is at Par with international standards, in spite the cost being 1/3 of global fees. As a result, patients come from abroad to seek infertility treatment in India.

Only 1-2 % of the population can avail services as there still is a lack of awareness and many misconceptions and apprehensions as regards to IVF.

The Govt of India have formulated the new ART/ Surrogacy law which came into force on 25th Jan 2022.

We support the government for bringing out a comprehensive law for ART which can help us to streamline our work and make it more transparent.

But there are certain clauses/ sections in the Act which are unfriendly and detrimental to the interest of patients and doctors.

1 The offenses committed by the doctors during the treatment of surrogacy/ IVF could even be 5-10 years of imprisonment which is also Non Bailable. There are multiple regulations for ART/ Surrogacy clinics. It should be a single regulating body and having a single window system of registering and monitoring the centers.

2 Each ART clinic has to pay money to register i.e. Rs 5 lacs every 5 Years. If you want to do surrogacy another 5 lacs has to be given for the same time period.

There is no basis of charging this fee from private enterprises as it is not done in any other field. It will kill small infertility centers especially in the smaller towns and villages. Besides increasing the cost of treatment. This will lead to monopolization by corporates and big players

3 The stipulations under the ACT are very stringent with complicated processes which will delay the procedure and also discourage the patients and doctors seeking the services. This will lead to closure of small and medium centers run by Single Gynae Professional, leading it to become a business model rather than a professional service.

4 Single (unmarried) women should be allowed option of surrogacy like it is allowed for widows and divorcees.

5 Certain changes in the age criteria of the couple seeking IVF/ Surrogacy should be relaxed as certain couples come for these treatments on count of tragedies or loss of child due to any reason. We should let the combined age of the couple seeking surrogacy/ IVF and not just the woman’s age as an older woman can marry a younger man.

Dr G K Bedi Founder Chairman ISAR, said that the act will streamline practices but certain clauses will discourage small cost-effective centers which will turn this into a business model rather than a highly skilled professional services specially in small towns.

The Nirmal Basin Charmain ISAR Chandigarh said that charging a high and recurrent registration fee every five years is highly unjustified and will increase the cost of treatment unnecessarily.

 *IMA, Chandigarh protests against suicide of Dr Archana Sharma and demand central law for violence against Doctors ACT*

The doctors of IMA Chandigarh protested on the suicide of Dr Archana Sharma in Rajasthan and demanded strict action of abetment of suicide against the police officers, local goons and other culprits involved in mental torture and harassment of the doctor which led to her suicide.

IMA Nationwide is observing this protest and candle marches across the country to mark their protest against this incident and demand their arrests.

Dr Ramneek Sharma, President IMA Chandigarh said that a central act of violence against doctors needs to be framed at the earliest. Doctors are working under huge professional stress which is exaggerated by harassment, unjust implementation of laws and trail by unscrupulous elements who take advantage of any situation for their personal gains. This is already discouraging the younger generation from taking this profession and doctors in treating high risk and complicated cases which will be counter productive for the patients.He added because of stress and high cost of nursing homes have closed down in Chandigarh . If conditions do not improve health facilities will be scarce .

Dr R S Bedi, Past National Vice President IMA said that we propose to request SSP Chandigarh to sensitize all police stations regarding the procedure of arresting a doctor as per law which says that a medical committee needs to give its opinion before any arrest can be made, as per the judgement of Supreme court 2009 in Jacob Mathew VS State of Punjab.