Radiologists go on strike on Sept 1

Tribune News Service

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Dharamsala, August 28

Radiologists across the country will go on a strike demanding relaxation in the provisions of the PNDT Act.

Owing to a strike call, all radiologists working in the private sector will not be working from September 1. As per the programme given by the Indian Radiologists and Imagery Association (IRIA), all modalities of their department, including MRI, CT scan and Ultrasound facilities, will remain closed on September 1. From September 2 they will not do ultrasound tests.

The strike of doctors is likely to hit gynaecology and trauma patients. The situation is likely to be more acute in Himachal that is already short of required radiologists.

Dr OP Bansal, president of the IRIA, said last month the Union Ministry of Health held a meeting in which the association demanded the removal of some “irrelevant provisions of the PNDT Act that was being used to harass doctors”.

“Certain provisions such as clerical errors in Form F, not wearing an apron, non-display of notice board and not keeping handbook on the PNDT Act are treated as criminal offences. We had demanded that the offences should attract only minor punishment and should not be treated as criminal offence,” he said.

Dr Pramod Lonikar, general secretary, IRIA, said despite the “draconian provisions” of the PNDT Act, radiologists had been extremely co-operative in following the PCPNDT Act.

“However, at regular intervals, many honest radiologists, who did not have even remote connection with sex-determination, have been victimised under the PNDT Act for minor clerical errors. In continuation of the harassments, the IRIA has decided to protest by suspending all ultrasound services till justice is served,” he added.