IMA calls off strike

Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 11 (UNI) The Indian Medical Association (IMA) today called off tommorow's '' medical hartal'' after assurances that cases will not be filed against doctors for culpable homicide amounting to murder.

The decision was taken after association leaders held discussions with Kerala Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan who was deputed by Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan to hold talks with the leaders.

After the meeting, the leaders said the strike had been withdrawn after an assurance from the state government that the doctors would not be booked for culpable homicide amounting to murder.

The government had also clarified in the meeting that the case against Dr P Ashokan of Kottayam Medical College on charges of negligence and corruption following the death of a patient in the college hospital recently could not be withdrawn. This was one of the major demands of the IMA.

The IMA had called for the strike soon after Dr Ashokan was arrested. While the Kerala Government Medical Officers Association supported the strike, the Kerala Government Medical College Teacher's Association has decided not to participate.

Earlier the counsel for the IMA told the Kerala High Court through a submission that the Association has called off the proposed strike. In its observation, the court, which was hearing four writ petitions against the proposed medical strike, said the state government could invoke the provisions of the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) against striking doctors as their services were essential to the society.

UNI