PUNE: Lakhs of allopathic doctors across the state will take part in a 24-hour-long token strike starting from 8am on Thursday, Sept 18 to 8am on Friday, Sept 19.Along with over one lakh allopathic doctors and members of the Indian Medical Association (IMA), over 12 thousand members of Maharashtra State Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) and resident doctors in govt medical colleges will also be joining the strike.The doctors are protesting against the state govt decision to register BHMS-CCMP doctors under the Maharashtra Medical Council (MMC).It is likely to shut OPDs and impact treatment at govt hospitals and medical colleges as well. Multiple planned surgeries are expected to be postponed at both private and public hospitals. With medical officers also joining the strike, healthcare at govt centers in rural and urban areas will also be affected.Last week, when the IMA announced that it would launch a one-day strike to oppose the govt decision, multiple associations gradually joined it. For instance, the Association of Medical Consultants (AMC) extended their support to the IMA through a letter to the IMA president, Dr Santosh Kadam, on Tuesday and called for all members, hospitals and medical establishments to participate completely in shutdown to ensure its success.
Around 4,000 medical officers from across the state extended their support and will join the stir. Late on Tuesday evening, the Association of Medical Officers (AMO) Maharashtra State released a press statement announcing their decision to go on strike. The statement read, “All govt doctors under our organization extend full support to the one-day strike announced by all private doctors of the Indian Medical Association from 8am on Sept 18, 2025, to 8am on Sept 19, 2025.” The statement further stated, “As govt doctors, our duty is not only to treat patients, but also to safeguard the overall health of the public.”Dr Sanjay Patil, chairperson of the Hospital Board of India (HBI), Pune chapter said, “We have about 300 small and mid-level hospitals affiliated with us and 60 major hospitals from both Pune city and PCMC area. Except emergency services, all of these will shut their OPD services and other planned surgeries. As many as 2,500 elective surgeries, both major and minor, will be postponed. Some hospitals are even planning to shut down their entire operation, including emergency services.“Dr HK Sale, chairperson of Association of Hospitals (AOH) in Pune said, “We got the information about agitation very late from the IMA, but we have circulated the message across our members and we will join.”
