Shillong, June 14: Doctors across the country affiliated to the Indian Medical Association (IMA) have decided to wear black badges or black shirt/tie etc on June 15 and 18 to create public awareness and to enact stronger central and state laws for ensuring safety of healthcare workers accordingly. Also, IMA members of a few large state chapters have decided to close down OPD services on June 18 although all emergency services shall continue.

This comes after increasing number of cases of assault on doctors and medical practitioners have been reported from across the country.

In a statement issued on Monday, IMA Meghalaya vice president and official spokesperson,

Dr. Bernard T. Lyngdoh said the decision was taken by IMA on Sunday following the cases of violence against doctors across the country despite the fact that doctors are fighting as frontline warriors in COVID pandemic under most trying circumstances despite inherent limitations of the healthcare system.

The IMA national body has also told its state chapters to use social media platform on June 18 to voice against rising violence and harassment of medical practitioners.

Lyngdoh said several prominent citizens and artists have come up with videos on the same issue that will be released by IMA soon in the social Media.

Meanwhile, the IMA has urged every eligible person to go for COVID vaccine to bring an end of the pandemic.