IMA firm on 24-hr shut down of OPD as docs from corporate hosps join stir

EVEN as hundreds of angry resident doctors on Friday laid siege to Nirman Bhavan, the health ministry headquarters, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) said it is firm on a 24hour shut down of OPD and elective surgeries on Saturday to protest the barbaric rape and murder of a trainee woman doctor in Kolkata.

- KAVITA BAJELI-DATT

The IMA, the most prominent doctors' organisation, said they have received over whelming response from not only those running small private clinics, but from doctors working in big corporate hospitals.

Speaking with this newspaper, IMA president Dr R V Asokan said, "IMA has declared 24-hour withdrawal of services by all the modern medicine doctors of the country irrespective of the sector and place of work. Emergencies and casualties will function. No OPDs. No elective surgeries."