Bihar: Indian Medical Association announces strike across state, doctors to operate only in emergency

Indian medical Association (IMA) and state Health society have announced a one day strike on 20 August in Bihar.

The doctors have asserted that they will only work under emergency situations. According to reports, the strike has been announced after repeated attacks on doctors across the state,

Earlier this year, several doctors in the state applied for arms licenses from their respective district offices, citing threat to life.

Indian Medical Association chief Dr Sachidanand Kumar claimed that 15 cases of extortion and attacks at doctors' residences and clinics have been reported in less than five months. The IMA officials have forwarded the appeal and requested to grant them license.

According to a Telegraph report, Ruban Group of Hospitals chairman AK Singh claimed to have received a threat letter asking him to pay a ransom of Rs 50 lakh. The letter came along with a .38 bore live cartridge.

Recently, a mob of over 100 people entered the Patna Medical College and Hospital in Patna and manhandled junior doctors over the death of a patient at the hospital. The senior doctors had reportedly locked themselves in the operation theatre for around one-and-a-half hours.

In January this year, the son of an RJD MLA and a police official allegedly thrashed two doctors in separate incidents in Gaya and Madhepura following which the medical fraternity in the state observed a strike in Madhepura.