Pune: The statewide strike planned by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) on July 20 in protest against the alleged assault on doctors at Dombivli’s Shastrinagar Municipal Hospital by Shiv Sena corporator Ramesh Mhatre and his supporters on July 6 has been temporarily postponed. The decision was taken at a meeting of IMA members on Sunday following the Bombay High Court’s suo motu intervention in the case and its decision to deny bail to the accused, said the officials.
Event Context
IMA Maharashtra has warned that if the government does not promulgate an ordinance providing stronger legal safeguards for doctors and healthcare workers, the medical fraternity will first observe a 24-hour withdrawal of services next week as a token protest before escalating the agitation into an indefinite statewide strike from August 9, said Dr Santosh Kulkarni, President, IMA, Maharashtra.
The association stated that the agitation is not directed against patients but is aimed at securing a safe working environment for doctors and healthcare workers, adding that stronger legal protection is essential to ensure uninterrupted healthcare services.
Match Outlook
Pune city has the largest IMA branch in Maharashtra, with over 5,200 members, and is expected to remain at the centre of the agitation, with more than 10,000 doctors, even non-IMA members from across the city, likely to join the protest if the state government fails to strengthen legal protection for healthcare workers.
The IMA Maharashtra, in a statement, said it respected the court’s appeal and temporarily withdrew the July 20 strike, but reiterated that its long-pending demand for amendments to the Maharashtra Medicare Service Persons and Medicare Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage or Loss to Property) Act, 2010 remains unresolved.
Dr Sanjay Patil, national secretary, Hospital Board of India, said, “The strike and agitation have been temporarily withdrawn due to the high court’s decision and its suo motu cognisance of the case. Our demand for amendments to the Medicare Act, 2010, remains unchanged. If the government fails to act, the strike call will be revived from August 9,” he said.
Dr Patil further added, “In the strike, even the government doctors, medical officers, medical teachers and government nurses are also expected to join after serving the mandatory 15-day notice. A final decision will be taken in August,” he said.
