An emergency meeting of NMA, the umbrella organization of medical doctors, held in the capital on Tuesday has decided to boycott services across the country and instructed its members to abide by the decision. With the decision of NMA, thousands of patients across the country will be deprived of healthcare services from Wednesday.
"We have decided to boycott the services from tomorrow as the government has not shown seriousness to address the demands raised by Dr KC even though his health is deteriorating," said Dr Anjani Kumar Jha, the NMA chairman. He informed that even the doctors serving at private hospitals, nursing homes and clinics will not see patients.
"We have strictly warned our members not to check patients at private hospitals and nursing homes," said Chairman Jha.
He said that the NMA will revoke the membership of the doctors who do not follow the direction. "We are not in a position to take care of patients while one of our fellow doctors is himself in a critical condition," said Dr Jha. He however, said that doctors will attend to the patients at hospital's emergency. He claimed that the NMA had waited until last hour keeping in mind the suffering of ailing patients, although it was least hopeful of government paying heed.
"We knew that the government would ignore the relay hunger strike. So we are compelled to take this decision," said Dr Jha.
Meanwhile, NMA Chairman Jha on Tuesday took part in the relay hunger strike to express solidarity with Dr KC.
Dr KC, a senior professor at the IoM has been on a fast-unto-death for the last 10 days. Doctors attending him informed that Dr KC has become too weak and is in a critical condition. His heart beat has been fluctuating and the level of oxygen has saturated to low level. He has been complaining of whole body ache and feels difficulty in speaking.
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