Srinagar : Jammu and Kashmir Government on Wednesday decided to invoke Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) to deal with the strike called by the doctors in various health institutions of the State.

“The Government can’t allow the hapless patients to suffer and in order to ensure that there is no disruption of healthcare services, it has been decided that ESMA would be invoked to deal with the strike called by the medicos,” a senior officer in the Health and Medical Education Department said according to an official handout.

He said ensuring adequate healthcare services has become more imperative especially in view of the flood alert sounded by the government due to inclement weather conditions.