Chennai: Private hospitals and clinics in Tamil Nadu embarked on a 24-hour strike on Saturday starting 6 AM, demanding among others, protection to medical professionals and hospitals from attacks in the event of deaths of patients.
The strike call was given by the state chapter of Indian Medical Association (IMA) and 33,000 members attached to it, besides 3,500 members of the Indian Dental Association, stayed away from duty, Dr C N Raja, Honorary State Secretary, IMA, Tamil Nadu State Branch, told PTI.
About 16,000 professionals attached to the Tamil Nadu Government Doctors Association had also extended support with the doctors working with black arm badges, he said.
"There has been an increase in attacks on doctors and hospitals in the event of an untoward incident even after good treatment. It has become an organised crime to extract money out of doctors. They are now scared to work and we wanted to create an awareness among the public and government," he said.
He called for stricter implementation of the Tamil Nadu Hospital Protection Act, 2008, which makes attacks on doctors and hospitals an offence and also demanded that such places be declared as 'Protected Zones.'
? ? ?He said hospitals and clinics were not delivering Out Patient (OP) services while routine surgeries were not being performed, but "emergency services and in-patients were taken care of," he added.
The government had invited the doctors for talks next week, he said.
