The Jammu and Kashmir government has decided to invoke the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) to deal with the strike called by the doctors in various health institutions of the state.

"The government cannot allow the hapless patients to suffer and in order to ensure that there is no disruption in the healthcare services, it has been decided that the ESMA will be invoked to deal with the strike called by the medicos," a senior officer in the Health and Medical Education department said.