India, Sept. 19 -- Over 180,000 doctors in Maharashtra associated with the Indian Medical Association (IMA), the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA), the Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors' (MARD) central unit, the Association of Medical Consultants (AMC) and several other bodies observed a 24-hour strike starting 8am on Thursday, affecting OPD services, routine procedures and elective surgeries in multiple government and private hospitals across the state. Even emergency care was halted at some private hospitals in Mumbai, with patients being redirected to government hospitals.

Doctors also participated in marches and symbolic protests at Thane, Mumbai, Aurangabad, and Pune as part of the 24-hour strike.

The st...