Doctors to intensify protest

The boycott of elective and emergency medical duties over NMC Bill 2019 at tertiary teaching hospitals in Hyderabad by medicos has continued to impact health care services. Apart from elective surgeries, even emergency services at top teaching hospitals including Gandhi Hospital and Osmania General Hospital (OGH) have been severely affected by the protests.

The members of State-unit of Indian Medical Association (IMA) said that the protests against NMC Bill will be further intensified in the coming days. The IMA, Government Doctors Association and Telangana Junior Doctors Association (TJUDA) are now planning to hold a ‘Telangana Vaidya Garjana’ at Dharna Chowk on Wednesday.

On Thursday, the entire medical community from Telangana State comprising of members from various doctors’ associations are



expected to participate in the nation-wide medical strike, which is being organised by the Central-unit of IMA. 

In addition to the boycott of elective and emergency duties at State-run hospitals, a group of medical students from Gandhi Medical College and Osmania Medical College (OMC) are on an indefinite strike within the campus of the medical colleges. The outpatient, inpatient wards, emergency medical services at Gandhi Hospital and Osmania General Hospital (OGH) were affected as senior doctors and medicos participated in dharnas and protest rallies against NMC Bill.

The protests by doctors have also impacted health care services across the districts in the State with junior and senior doctors participating in the boycott of all the elective duties.