OPDs at some pvt hospitals in Delhi to remain shut tomorrow

Services at some private hospitals here are likely to be hit tomorrow as their OPDs will remain shut over a bandh called by Delhi Medical Association (DMA) to protest the "rise in violence" against medical professionals.
Hospitals like Max and Apollo have cancelled all out- patient departments (OPDs) appointments scheduled for tomorrow and have extended their support to the bandh.
However, the emergency services in all these hospitals will remain open.
The DMA is supporting the Indian Medical Association's (IMA's) 'Dilli Chalo Movement', a protest march, to be held tomorrow against the "atrocities" faced by the medical fraternity.
More than one lakh doctors are expected to take part in the protest march which would start from Rajghat and end at Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium.

The DMA has urged its members and owners of hospitals, nursing homes and health facilities in the city to keep their establishments closed till 2 PM.

The IMA would also launch a signature campaign over the issue on social media and has urged all doctors to collect thousands of signatures which would be sent to the Centre seeking action.
"The medical profession is facing one of its most difficult time. Both, doctors as well as patients, have to understand that the doctor-patient relationship is a sacred one and that the dignity of the profession should be maintained.
"Feeling that enough is enough that the IMA has given this clarion call, Dilli Chalo," K K Aggarwal, national president of the IMA, said.

A 'pen-down satyagraha' would be observed by all doctors across India as no doctor would give any prescriptions for one hour between 10 and 11 AM tomorrow.
The movement aims to address demands of the medical fraternity, which include a stringent central act against violence, single-window accountability with no criminal charges on doctors without intent to harm a patient and single-window registration of doctors and medical establishments.