Mumbai: Following the attack on doctors, nurses, and healthcare staff at Shastri Nagar Municipal Hospital in Dombivli by Shiv Sena corporator Ramesh Mhatre, the Maharashtra chapter of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has called for a 24-hour strike on OPD services across the state. The strike will start at 6am on Monday and will continue until 6am on Tuesday.Maharashtra Association of Residents Doctors (MARD) will not be part of this strike. “We will be meeting with chief minister Devendra Fadnavis next week. If our issues are not addressed adequately, we will be moving for indefinite strike,” said MARD president Dr Atharva Shinde.The state IMA has said that emergency services, intensive care units (ICUs), maternity services, and life-saving treatments will not be affected. State IMA president Dr Santosh Kulkarni said, “We also have BAMS and BHMS practitioners participating in this strike.” The association has demanded the prosecution of the accused “without any political interference or protection”.Furthermore, they have also called for amendments to the Maharashtra Medicare Service Persons and Medicare Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage or Loss to Property) Act, 2010, to make the offence cognisable and non-bailable, to ensure the conclusion of investigation within 30-60 days, and to establish fast-track trial courts.Dr Kulkarni warned that there would be an indefinite strike in August if these concerns are on addressed.
