IMPHAL, June 16 -- Decrying frequent attack and violence on doctors across the country, all non-essential services of government and private hospitals including OPDs, service will be withdrawn for 24 hours starting from Monday across the country.
President of Indian Medical Association (IMA), Manipur State Branch, Dr. Shyamkumar Laishram stated this in a press conference held today at Manipur Press Club located at Majorkhul, Imphal.
He said the withdrawal of services will start from 6 am of June 17 to till 6 am of next day. However, all emergency and casualty services will not be affected.
He further stated that the withdrawal of services is in solidarity with nationwide strike of doctors called by IMA, on rising rate of violence on doctors.
He narrated the incident of West Bengal where two doctors were allegedly attacked and seriously injured by relatives of a patient who died at NRS Medical College. One of them, Dr. Paribala Mukherjee was brutally injured and has been admitted at ICU and fighting for his life is till date, he said.
State branch, IMA strongly condemned the 'brutal act' of public acting against the doctor. Such incident is not new and has been happening across the country, without actually knowing what doctors are facing, he pointed out.
He further noted that doctors are also human beings; they chose a profession to serve people and not to harm their patients. IMA demands exemplary action to be given by the state government of West Bengal. All legitimate demands of resident doctors in West Bengal should be accepted unconditionally. Safety and security in the hospitals have been a matter of great concern and need to be addressed and ensured, he added.
With such repeated incidents, Shyamkumar noted that relationship between doctors and patients has hit a new low not only in the state but across the country. The cause of such unwanted happenings may be due to lack of infrastructure, as various equipment are needed while treating a patient. As such patient's family and relatives should also keep in mind that doctors and hospital authorities have their own shortcomings that it has to deal with besides discharging their duties, he added.
To avoid such misunderstanding IMA is organising for withdrawal of non-essential services in all health care institutions across the country, the president of IMA state branch asserted.
He further stated that IMA has been demanding a national law against hospital violence. The national law against violence on hospital has to be brought immediately where the law should provide a minimum of seven years imprisonment for hospital violence. To ensure the cases are registered, culprits are arrested and conviction is necessitated, appropriate mandatory provisions as provided in POSCO Act have to be instituted.
He also said hospital should be declared as safe zones and provision of appropriate security should be the responsibility of the state.
Shyamkumar appealed all the government and private medical establishments including home practices in Manipur to extend full cooperation by adhering to the directives.
In support of IMA's decision to call an 'All India Medical 24-hour withdrawal of Non-Essential Services', Shija Hospital also made a statement that there will be no routine OPDs and operations at the hospital during the said hours.
However dialysis, emergency and indoor patient services will continue unaffected, it added.
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