Mumbai: More than 25,000 Radiologists across Maharashtra will stop working for 24 hours from 6 am on Monday until Tuesday morning. This strike has been called by the Maharashtra State Branch of Indian Radiological and Imaging Association (MSBIRIA) which is the largest association of Radiologists in the state.
The strike is in support of the Indian Medical Association’s call to protest against the attack on doctors in Kolkata and the local government’s “inaction’’.
“During this period all the Radiodiagnostic Modalities like Sonography, X-Ray, CT Scan and MRI Services will remain suspended,” said Samir Gandhi, secretary MSBIRIA.
Gandhi said as healthcare providers are deeply anguished by the recent developments happening in West Bengal, where their colleagues were beaten up badly by the unruly mob, hence this decision has been taken.
“It has become a common trend to blame doctors for each and everything that goes wrong in the healthcare system. Nobody takes care to find out if the responsibility even rests with the doctor or not,” he said.
Dr Hozie Kapadia, President, IMA Maharashtra said all the non essential services will be shut across the state, but patients’ services in all the hospitals will not be affected. “All the emergency services, OPDs and WARDs will be operational due to which patients will not be affected,” he said.
Dr Kapadia even mentioned that there is a law which has a non-bailable clause in 19 states, but it has not been implemented thoroughly. In 10 years, only one case has seen a conviction.
As through the non-bailable act, the bail received from police custody is not received. But if the case goes to a magistrate court, then bail is granted. “
Many cases have occurred where people have received a bail through the magistrate’s court. For this, the law should be brought under CrPC and IPC, only then these attacks can be decreased and the criminals can be punished,” he added.
Doctors across the country have demanded a safe working environment to be created for doctors so that they can take care of the patients more confidently and without any fear of violence and provide the highest standard of healthcare to the population.
Meanwhile all the private clinics and nursing homes have also planned a 24- hour bandh from Monday morning across the city. The Association of Medical Consultants (AMC), which has over 11,600 medical consultants as members have come forward in support.
