IMA Maharashtra Calls For 24-Hour Withdrawal Of Routine Healthcare Services On July 20 Over Dombivli Attack

Mumbai: The Indian Medical Association (IMA) Maharashtra State has called for a statewide 24-hour withdrawal of routine healthcare services on July 20 in protest against the violent attack on doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers at Shastrinagar Municipal Hospital in Dombivli. Routine outpatient services, elective surgeries and non-emergency medical care will remain suspended from 6 am on Monday to 6 am on Tuesday, while emergency services, intensive care units, maternity services and all life-saving treatments will continue uninterrupted.

Nature of Protest

Calling the assault an attack on the entire healthcare system, the IMA said the protest is not against patients but is intended to demand justice for the victims and ensure a safe and secure working environment for healthcare professionals. The association said doctors from all systems of medicine, along with nursing staff, paramedics and several healthcare organisations, will participate in the agitation.

The IMA has urged the Maharashtra government to take immediate and stringent legal action against all those involved in the Dombivli attack and ensure that there is no political interference in the investigation. It has also sought amendments to the Maharashtra Medicare Service Persons and Medicare Service Institutions (Prevention of Violence and Damage to Property) Act, 2010, demanding mandatory registration of FIRs, making serious assaults on healthcare workers cognisable and non-bailable offences, time-bound investigations, fast-track trials and provisions for compensation and recovery of damages.

Security and Policy Demands

The association has further demanded round-the-clock security arrangements in all government and private hospitals, including access control, CCTV surveillance, trained security personnel and stronger police coordination. It has also called for a strict statewide "Zero Tolerance Against Healthcare Violence" policy, increased budgetary allocation to strengthen government hospitals and enactment of a comprehensive Central law providing uniform legal protection to healthcare workers across the country.

Warning of a larger agitation, the IMA said if the government fails to take concrete steps on its demands, it will launch an indefinite statewide protest from August 9 under the banner of the United Medical Front. The association said the safety of healthcare workers is essential for ensuring uninterrupted and quality patient care, adding that violence against doctors and hospital staff cannot be tolerated under any circumstances.

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