Non-essential medical services across the State are likely to be hit on Wednesday with the Indian Medical Association (IMA) giving a call for a 24-hour strike from 6 a.m.
This is in protest against the Lok Sabha approving and passing the National Medical Commission (NMC) Bill 2019.
The strike includes only withdrawal of non-essential services. Emergency and in-patient services will continue. Supporting the call, IMA’s Karnataka Chapter and Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes’ Association has asked all its member-doctors and hospitals to stop non-essential services from 6 a.m. on Wednesday till 6 a.m. on Thursday. Public demonstrations will be organised by all district branches on Wednesday as part of the strike.
However, the Karnataka Government Medical Officers’ Association (KGMOA) has decided not to boycott services. “We support the strike, but we will not boycott any services,” said G. Srinivasa, KGMOA president.
Gearing up to meet any crisis, the Health Department has directed all District Health Officers and District Surgeons to ensure that all government hospitals provide uninterrupted service to patients.
Health Director T.S. Prabhakar has directed all hospital heads to cancel leave granted to doctors and other staff to ensure that services are not hit during the strike.
