NE HEALTH BUREAU
CHENNAI, OCT 16
Professor Dr JA Jayalal, a native of Kuzhithurai in Kannyakumari district in Tamil Nadu, was unanimously elected as National President of the Indian Medical Association for the year 2020-21.
IMA is the largest professional organization of Modern Medicine doctors, across the country since 1928, having nearly 4 lakh members.
Dr. Shajanand of Bengaluru was elected President for the year 2021-22.
The term of the president of IMA is one year. The term of other office-bearers were for two years. Other office bearers elected were Secretary Dr. Jayes Leele of Mumbai and Treasurer Dr. Goyal of New Delhi.
Presently, Prof Dr JA Jayalal is serving as Professor of Surgery in Tirunelveli Medical College and he held important positions in professional organizations, including the State President of the Tamilnadu Unit of Indian Medical Association in 2018.
He also served as President in-charge Tamilnadu Medical Council, Senate Member of Dr. MGR Medical University, Member of TN Nurses & Midwives Council and he occupied the post of Commonwealth Medical Association as Vice-President.
Promotion of Family Medicine concept and culture in Healthcare delivery and enforcing Bioethical Principles in Medicine is his priority.
He has published a textbook on Family Medicine and was instrumental in conducting the Royal College of General Practice UK fellowship in India.
He is serving as National Co-ordinator for IMA – UNESCO Bioethics Program in India and promoting ethical concepts among doctors.
Prof. Dr. J.A. Jayalal is a fellow of Surgery from the Royal College of Surgeons, Glasgow and had completed his PhD in Surgery and he is one of the renowned Professors of Surgery taking part actively in academic works of Association of Surgeons of India. He had won the best teacher award of Dr. MGR Medical University and the Medical Council of India.
He is the fifth president from Tamilnadu to lead the 94-year-old professional organization. The entire medical fraternity from Tamilnadu congratulated him on the achievement.
Speaking to http://navjeevanexpress.com, Prof. Dr. J.A. Jayalal expressed the challenges ahead for the medical professionals due to the new education policy and the NMC. He said the Indian Medical Association will strive hard to restore the purity and sanctity of Modern Medicine, without the mixopathy and crosspathy as postulated by the National Education Policy and NMC.
Another big challenge is the assault on healthcare providers across the country and IMA is striving hard to make the central government come out with Central Healthcare Professionals Protection Act.
At present 19 states have enacted this act. However, only when it is enacted as a central law it will have its teeth to control the violence.
“Covid -19 pandemic is well managed by both central and state governments and its medical professionals. We had lost 610 doctors across the country and 67 doctors in the state,” he added.
“It is our legitimate demand for Government to recognize them as martyrs of Covid for their altruistic services in control of Covid and restore their due credits of laurel and financial compensation without much delay and empower and encourage scores of other doctors working in the battle to go forward with confidence and enthusiasm. “It will be my priority to enhance inclusive, integrated, and quality-oriented healthcare with an emphasis on patient safety at par to all citizens of our country irrespective of access and affordability and to ensure a healthy India in the years to come. IMA and its entire medical fraternity will work with Government to restore affordable healthcare to all our people,” he said.
In this era of telemedicine, he said IMA will represent to the Government to enforce accreditation to online education with hands-on training to empower practitioners across the country to upgrade the healthcare delivery system, he added.
Prof. Dr. J.A. Jayalal will be taking over the mantle from Dr. Rajan Sharma, the current National President on December 27, 2020, in New Delhi.
