Maharashtra doctors call off strike after HC steps in, OPDs, surgeries hit across state

Across Mumbai’s major public hospitals, OPD attendance dropped by nearly 50 per cent as patients either postponed visits after learning about the strike or faced long waiting hours because of the shortage of doctors.

The High Court took suo motu cognisance of the strike and appealed to doctors to resume duties, stressing that patient care could not be compromised. Following the court’s intervention, the IMA, Central Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (Central MARD) and BMC MARD announced that they were withdrawing the agitation.

During the hearing the HC warned the IMA it would be compelled to stop wages if the medical association resorts to “confrontation”. The High Court bench of Acting Chief Justice Ravindra V Ghuge and Justice Gautam A Ankhad said, “Will you strike at the cost of patients? There will be no work and no pay. Not one patient should die in a municipal or government hospital. Will you start treating patients by calling off the strike? We will ask the state to go on a war footing (in the homeopaths registration matter),” the bench said.

Advocate General Milind Sathe for state said another HC bench in 2025 refused to stay eligible homeopaths’ MMC registration, the pending case is at final hearing stage, with IMA concluding arguments and the government beginning submissions.

“We have to look at what could be the ramifications. One can understand that if there is a strike in a factory for 30 days, the worst case is loss of earnings. In the case of lawyers, we do not say anything. In the case of doctors, if patients die, can they bring back the dead patients to life?” the bench said.

In a statement, the IMA said it had suspended the strike in deference to the court’s appeal.

“It is important to clarify that none of our principal demands have been fulfilled. We are withdrawing the agitation solely out of respect for the Hon’ble High Court and the rule of law. The strike has been called off but the protest has not been called off. The mode of protest will be conveyed in a day,” said Dr Atharva Shinde, president of Central MARD.

The association reiterated its demand that the registration process for BHMS doctors with the Certificate Course in Modern Pharmacology (CCMP) should not proceed until the court decides the matter.

Medical Education Minister Hasan Mushrif said the dispute stemmed from legislation enacted years ago that permitted homeopathy practitioners with CCMP qualifications to practise modern medicine.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis also appealed to doctors to ensure patient services were not affected.

“The protests should not be conducted in a manner that disrupts patient care. All doctors, regardless of the medical system they practice, are equal. Doctors serving in our medical colleges and hospitals are especially important to us. I would like to assure, government has no intention of treating them unfairly,” he said.

Even as negotiations continued, patients bore the brunt of the agitation.

At Mumbai’s KEM Hospital, departments reported a steep decline in OPD attendance. Several patients who had travelled from outside the city returned without treatment or faced hours-long waits.

“The OPD is much lighter today because patients have come to know about the strike and decided to postpone their visit. Yesterday, however, the OPD was extremely crowded. At Cooper Hospital, patients had to wait for three-and-a-half hours. In the absence of residents, faculty members have to be diverted to manage the workload,” said Dr Hetal Shah, head of the ENT department at KEM Hospital.

Similar scenes played out at Nair Hospital, where elective surgeries, routine OPDs and teaching activities were suspended while senior doctors managed emergency services.

Hospital authorities said normal services would gradually resume from Friday following the withdrawal of the strike.