New Delhi: The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has announced a 24-hour strike across the country, during which all modern medicine doctors, regardless of sector or location, will withdraw their services. This action is in response to the nationwide outrage sparked by the rape and murder of a second-year trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata.
The strike, which began at 6 am on Saturday, August 17, will continue until 6 am on Sunday, August 18, 2024. While emergency and casualty services will remain operational, outpatient departments (OPDs) and elective surgeries have been suspended.
In Delhi, the Resident Doctors’ Association at UCMS (University College of Medical Sciences) and GTBH (Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital) will continue their strike today, with a General Body meeting scheduled for 9:30am. Their strike will result in the shutdown of OPD, elective services, and laboratory operations.
Similar protests are occurring in other parts of the country. In Chennai, doctors from Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital and Madras Medical College have also staged a boycott in solidarity with the victim. A protesting doctor in Chennai emphasized that only emergency services will continue, stating that they are demanding justice for the victim and her family. Despite some arrests, the main culprits are still at large, he added.
Meanwhile, in Mumbai, relatives of patients at Sion Hospital reported that services, particularly in the intensive care unit (ICU), are running smoothly despite the strike, though they acknowledged the challenges faced by the reduced number of doctors. In Thiruvananthapuram, the General Hospital also joined the nationwide strike.
IMA General Secretary Anil Kumar J Nayak reiterated that all IMA members are participating in the strike, with only emergency and casualty services available. He mentioned a recent discussion with Health Minister of India JP Nadda, who responded positively to their concerns about attacks on doctors. The IMA has also urged the National Commission for Women to visit Kolkata and called for improved safety and security for women doctors.
The strike follows the alleged rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College on August 9, which has led to widespread protests across the medical community. The situation escalated on Wednesday when a mob vandalised the protest site and hospital campus at RG Kar, prompting security forces to intervene.
