SUBHASH MISHRA
Ranchi/Dhanbad, April 1: The Indian Medical Association (IMA), Jharkhand chapter, and the Jharkhand Health Services Association (JHSA), the frontal organization of government doctors, have called a 12 hours (7 am to 7 pm) bandh call of the private and government health centres across the state tomorrow. This step has been taken in protest against the suicide of Dr Archana Sharma in Rajasthan.
IMA state president Dr AK Singh, secretary Dr Pradip Singh, vice-president ( headquarter) Dr RS Das, treasurer Dr BP Kashyap, JHSA president Dr Marsal Aiend, secretary Dr Bimlesh Kumar Singh in a joint letter have appealed to all doctors to abstain from their respective places of work, clinics, hospitals, nursing homes tomorrow in protest against Dr Archan’s death.
Along with this, JHSA has also called for an OPD service boycott at government hospitals across the state. JHSA secretary Dr Bimlesh Kumar Singh has served a letter to the additional chief secretary (health) Arun Kumar Singh about the OPD boycott by medical officers tomorrow.
Dr Archana Sharma, a renowned gynaecologist in Rajasthan committed suicide after being tortured by police following the death of a patient in her clinic. Dr Archna Sharma was the daughter of Jharkhand and had completed MBBS from Rajendra Institute of Medical Science (RIMS) Ranchi.
“Her death is unfortunate. We (IMA, JHSA) demand justice for her and her family members and severe punishment for the culprits who were involved in this heinous crime. So, the IMA and the JHSA have unanimously resolved to protest this murder with observing by abstaining from clinics, hospitals, nursing homes and health care centres,” said Dr Pradip Kumar Singh, IMA secretary.
However, Dr Singh said that keeping critical patients in mind, IMA and JHSA have exempted the doctors on emergency duty during the 12 hours boycott call. “All emergency services will run as and when required,” he said.
The IMA secretary while demanding immediate implementation of the Medical Protection Act said that situations like Rajasthan also prevail in Jharkhand.
In Covid, several doctors have died and many medicos are suffering from anxiety and have gone into depression. They are feeling insecure as doctors are being attacked every day.
“IMA and JHSA want to ask the government whether it would wake up and implement the Medical Protection Act only after incidents like Rajasthan occur here,” said Dr Singh.
JHASA secretary Dr Bimlesh Singh said the suicide of the lady doctor having roots in Ranchi is an eye opener for all.
“Doctors in Jharkhand are facing a similar situation and so far the state government has done nothing to enforce the Medical Protection Act to give them protection. Thus we have planned to boycott our work for a day to mount pressure on the government,” he said.
