Thiruvananthapuram, Saturday 08 May 2010: Doctors will go on strike statewide for two hours today in protest against the increase in attacks against hospitals and the delay on the part of the government in enacting the law to protect hospitals against attacks and to punish those who perpetrate violence.

A meeting of doctors’ associations in both the government as well as private sector, convened by the Indian Medical Association here, have decided to paralyse all hospital services, except emergency ones, for two hours from 8 a.m. on Saturday.

All doctors’ associations have also decided to go on a non-cooperation mode with the government till the latter implements the proposed Kerala Medicare Service Persons and Institutions (Prevention of violence and damage to property) Bill.

Representatives of Kerala Government Medical Officers’ Association, Kerala Government Insurance Medical Officers’ Association, Kerala Government Medical College Teachers’ Association, Qualified Private Medical Practitioners’ Association and the Post Graduates’ and Junior doctors’ associations took part in the meeting.

The IMA will be leading the strike. The health-related activities the IMA and the government jointly run will also be boycotted during the strike hours.