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Medical fraternity in Kozhikode stood behind doctors as they abstained from duty, except emergency services, on Friday, as part of the State-wide strike called by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) in protest against increasing attacks on doctors by patients’ relatives.
Around 30 organisations, including ones from pharmaceutical and nursing sectors, joined the doctors as they conducted dharnas and other protests in different parts of the district.
The strike brought activities of hospitals to a standstill. Thousands of people had assembled at the Government Medical College Kozhikode from the morning, either desperate or unaware of the strike. Hospital staff refrained from giving outpatient tickets for some time, but had to relent under pressure.
Doctors in the government as well as private sector were part of the strike, which was triggered by a recent incident at Fathima Hospital in the city in which a group of people manhandled a doctor.
“This was a desperate measure on our part to ensure safety at workplace. Even today, a doctor was attacked in Wayanad,‘‘ Dr. Sankar Mahadevan, an IMA functionary in Kozhikode said.
He said that there has been no positive response from the State government in response to the doctors’ demands even after the token strike. However, the government’s response to the Kerala High Court’s observations in the matter is awaited before formulating an action plan, he said.
The doctors had demanded that the State to come up with an effective method to prevent attacks, to arrest people who had attacked the doctor in Kozhikode, to implement the High Court’s guidelines in this regard, and to retract cases against doctors who took part in a recent protest.
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