Healthcare services in AP may be hit today as IMA calls for 24-hour strike

Update: 2024-08-16 18:17 GMT
Healthcare services in Andhra Pradesh are likely to be hit as the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has called for withdrawal of medical services throughout the country from 6:00 a.m. on Saturday to 6:00 a.m. on Sunday. (Image: DC)

VIjayawada: Healthcare services in Andhra Pradesh are likely to be hit as the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has called for withdrawal of medical services throughout the country from 6:00 a.m. on Saturday to 6:00 a.m. on Sunday.

Junior doctors in AP have resolved to continue their strike and are boycotting even emergency services as part of the all-India protest against the rape and murder of a medical student at RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata.

IMA has come up with a list of demands, including a thorough inquiry into the rape and murder of the PG medical student on August 9 and vandalism at the RG Kar Medical College on the night of August 14, providing relief to the bereaved family members, enactment of Central Act against violence in government hospitals and to declare hospitals as safe zones.

The Indian Medical Association has, however, said doctors can exercise their due diligence in attending emergency cases.

IMA AP chapter general secretary Dr P. Phanidhar said, “We want AP laws to be made more stringent to deal with violence against healthcare professionals. Only this can check rising incidents of violence against doctors and health staff in Andhra Pradesh.”

Junior doctors in AP started their boycott of emergency care from 12 noon on Friday. They declared that they will continue boycotting emergency services, apart from staging a series of protests at the government medical college attached hospitals, so that the government comes up with legislation to protect healthcare professionals.

Andhra Pradesh Government Doctors Association has condemned the brutal and heinous crime against the PG medical student. It unanimously resolved to support the ongoing agitation by wearing black badges, stage dharna along with junior doctors, and boycott duty for an hour from 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. on Saturday.

Director of medical education Dr. D.S.V.L. Narasimham said, “We have made alternate arrangements to avoid any disruption in healthcare services. We will depute doctors from non-clinical subjects for regular work. We will deploy in-service PG doctors and senior resident doctors, so that medical services at government hospitals remain available. We advise government doctors to stage their stir before 9:00 a.m. or after 4:00 p.m. in order not to trouble patients.”


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