Thiruvananthapuram: The Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Thursday decided to continue the doctors' strike, called in the wake of the murder of Dr Vandana Das, till the government addresses their grievances.
While intensive care units ( ICUs) and emergency departments will be exempted from the stir, doctors will stay away from the outpatient (OP) services in the state hospitals, IMA said.
The Kerala unit of the association held talks with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday, a day after the strike began.
After the meeting with the CM, IMA state president N Sulfi told reporters that the CM has given assurance to meet their demands, including a detailed probe into the murder of Dr Vandana and compensation to her family.
IMA also demanded to bring an ordinance to check violence against health workers in a time-bound manner and classify hospitals as special protection zones. He added that a final decision on the strike will be taken in the meeting scheduled for Thursday evening.
Protesting doctors indicated that they would intensify their stir by boycotting all medical services including emergency care if the government declines their demands.
At present, doctors are cooperating only with emergency medical care in hospitals across the state.
As part of the state-wide strike, medical students from different colleges led by House Surgeons Students Union and PG Doctors' Association staged a protest in front of the secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday.
The majority of doctors have not reported to work in hospitals across the state since Wednesday.
The Kerala Government Medical Officers' Association (KGMO) also announced a strike on Thursday.
The 25-year-old doctor was stabbed to death on Wednesday by a man whose leg wound she was dressing at a hospital in Kollam district where he was brought after an alleged fight with his family members. Dismayed over the killing of the young doctor, the Kerala High Court said the incident was an outcome of police and government failure and sought a report regarding the incident from the state police chief who was also asked to be present virtually when the matter is taken up on Thursday morning.
(With PTI inputs)
