The Indian Medical Association (IMA), the nation’s largest non-government organisation of allopathic doctors, on Sunday, expressed its strong objection and disapproval of the new logo adopted by the National Medical Commission (NMC), which the Association said is contrary to the fundamental ethos and values of India.
The Commission earlier this week unveiled a new logo depicting the Hindu deity Dhanwantari with the words Bharat added to it.
Asking the Commission to adopt a religion-neutral emblem the Association called upon the NMC to “take corrective steps to adopt a logo which does not contradict the oath and duty of doctors, towards all our citizens with complete neutrality especially in shunning any attempt to connect and/or identify an institution such as the NMC with any particular religion.”
“NMC as of today has done precious little to better medical education in the country. The Central Government should put an end to the deviant running of the NMC by recasting this premier national institution. The restoration of the logo hitherto and/or an adoption of any religion-neutral logo is the need of the hour requiring an appropriate decision to be taken by the concerned authorities expeditiously,” it added in its statement.
Stating that the only religion for the practice of medicine by doctors is to serve mankind the Association said that it does not require any emphasis that any kind of depiction with regard to the profession of medicine either individually or any statutory or non-statutory authority or any association of doctors etc. – has to be religion neutral.
The doctors maintained that the entire medical fraternity in India is disturbed by the approach now adopted by the Commission.
“The new logo of the NMC contradicts our fundamental values as doctors. Such a logo is also inconsistent with the dignity and decorum of an institution such as the NMC,” it said.