Kochi: The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has called for a state-wide protest in response to the recent attack on a Cardiologist at the Kozhikode Fatima Hospital. The protest began at 6 a.m. and will continue until 6 p.m.

"The strike announced by IMA would be held from 6am to 6pm on March 17. Since all medical organizations in the government and private sectors, including PG students association, private hospitals management and corporate hospitals, have declared solidarity with the strike, the functioning of all hospitals in the state would come to a standstill," claimed a statement from IMA on Thursday, adding that emergency medicine and surgery sections would be exempted from the strike.

Several organizations, including the Kerala Government Post Graduate Medical Teachers Association, the Kerala Government Specialists Doctors Association, and the Indian Dental Association are participating in the protest.

On March 4th, bystanders of a patient who claimed that there was a delay in her post-natal treatment, assaulted Dr. P.K. Asokan, a senior cardiologist at Fathima Hospital. Dr. Asokan suffered serious injuries as a result of the attack. The patient in question had been treated by Dr. Asokan's wife, Dr. Anitha.

The Outpatient Departments are not currently operational. However, emergency surgeries will still be performed. Non-emergency surgeries have been postponed until further notice.

One of the major demands of IMA is that all those accused in the Kozhikode hospital attack should be arrested at the earliest.

The police are investigating the incident and have detained several suspects for questioning.