Doctors on 24-hour Strike on Saturday To Protest against Alleged Rape and Murder of a Trainee Doctor in Kolkata
Moneylife Digital Team 16 August 2024
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has called for a 24-hour nationwide withdrawal of non-emergency services from 6am on Saturday (17th August) to protest against the alleged rape and murder of a trainee woman doctor at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata and the subsequent vandalism at the facility.
 
In a post on X, IMA says , "All essential services will be maintained. Casualties will be manned. Routine outpatient departments (OPD) will not function, and elective surgeries will not be conducted. The withdrawal is across all sectors wherever modern medicine doctors are providing services."
 
IMA, in a statement issued by its national president RV Asokan, expressed concerns over the handling of the case by the medical college authorities and the Kolkata police which led to protests by the medical fraternity across the country.
 
"Subsequent to the brutal crime at the RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata and the hooliganism unleashed on the protesting students on the eve of Independence Day, the IMA declares nationwide withdrawal of services by doctors of modern medicine from 6am on Saturday to 6am on Sunday for 24 hours," it says.
 
On 13th August, the Calcutta High Court (HC), while expressing discontent with the probe conducted so far, asked the West Bengal police to hand over the case to the central bureau of investigation (CBI). 
 
IMA says, "The HC also flagged the possibility of destruction of evidence if the state police continued with the investigation. On 15th August, the hospital was vandalised by a large crowd which destroyed various sections. The medical students who were on protest were attacked as well."
 
"Doctors, especially women, are vulnerable to violence because of the nature of the profession. It is for the authorities to provide for the safety of doctors inside hospitals and campuses. Both physical assaults and crimes are results of indifference and insensitivity of the concerned authorities to the needs of doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers," it added.
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