Private hospitals go on strike

May 03, 2015 12:00 am | Updated 05:34 am IST - COIMBATORE:

A private hospital in Coimbatore closed down on Saturday following a call given by IMA, Tamil Nadu State branch, pressing various demands. (Right) TNGDA members staging a protest at the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital.— Photos: S. Siva Saravanan

A private hospital in Coimbatore closed down on Saturday following a call given by IMA, Tamil Nadu State branch, pressing various demands. (Right) TNGDA members staging a protest at the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital.— Photos: S. Siva Saravanan

Most of the small and big hospitals in the city shutdown all their operations on Saturday barring the emergency care as part of the 24-hour strike call given by the Indian Medical Association (IMA), Tamil Nadu State branch.

The Association has sought to draw the State government’s attention to its long-standing demand for the effective implementing the Healthcare Institution Protection Act, 2008 in view of what it termed as increasing attacks on hospitals.

It said that following the death of a patient, sometimes the relatives and family members stage protests alleging medical negligence and seek registration of case against the doctors. There have been instances of doctors and paramedical staff having been grievously injured.

Further, it also wanted the police to follow the norms laid down by the Supreme Court and a Government Order which instructed the police not to file an FIR against a doctor unless an expert committee concluded that it was medical negligence and also not to arrest doctors immediately.

The IMA said that these norms were being followed more in breach. It also called upon the police to exercise due diligence before invoking Scheduled Castes/ Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act against doctors owing to its non-bailable provision.

The Association also wanted hospitals to be declared as ‘protected zones’ and for measures to ensure medicines were not given without prescriptions in pharmacies.

TNGDA protest

The Tamil Nadu Government Doctors Association (TNGDA), Coimbatore Branch, also staged a protest at the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital on Saturday pressing these demands. Led by N. Ravi Shankar, president of the Coimbatore district unit, the doctors wore black flags and staged a protest after completing their day duty.

In The Nilgiris, as many as 205 doctors from 17 hospitals took part in the strike seeking protection.

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