Unable to resolve its dispute with the government over enforcement of a law aimed at reducing gender-specific feticide, the Indian Radiological and Imaging Association (IRIA) said that ultrasound services nationwide are suspended indefinitely, according to an article by the Press Trust of India on India Today.
The final decision to strike came after government officials failed to give a firm commitment to address the IRIA's issues during an August 31 meeting, said IRIA President Dr. O.P. Bansal. In a statement on the IRIA's website, Bansal said the strike will continue until its demands are met. The association is seeking a number of changes to the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act, including a graded approach to punishment for infractions such as not wearing an apron or minor clerical errors.
The strike will not apply to emergency and in-hospital imaging services, according to the IRIA. The strike is also being supported by the Association of Medical Consultants, Indian Medical Association, and Federation of Obstetrics and Gynaecological Societies of India.
