Medical services in the State will be hit on Monday with doctors’ organisations calling a strike in protest against the assault on two junior doctors in West Bengal. Emergency services in both government and private hospitals have been exempted from the strike.
The Indian Medical Association (IMA), which has called a nationwide strike on Monday, said private hospitals, including those in Kerala, will cease to function for 24 hours from 6 a.m. The casualty wings have, however, been exempted from the strike.
The Kerala Government Medical Officers’ Association (KGMOA) has extended support to the IMA strike call. Government doctors will boycott outpatient services till 10 a.m. and actively participate in the protest organised by IMA, KGMOA State president Joseph Chacko and general secretary G.S. Vijayakrishnan said. Casualty wings in government hospitals will function. The doctors will also keep away from private practice, they said.
Central legislation
The IMA has called the strike condemning the frequent attacks on hospitals and demanding a Central legislation to deal with violence against doctors, hospital staff, and patients. The KGMOA has supported the IMA’s call for a Central law in this regard.
All organisations representing doctors in the private and public sectors had extended support to the strike, IMA State president M.E. Sugathan and secretary N. Sulphi said on Sunday. Junior doctors and medical students will also be part of the strike, they said. The IMA has announced a sit-in outside the Raj Bhavan from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.
