The Indian Medical Association (IMA) Announces 24-Hour Nationwide Strike to Protest Alleged Rape and Murder of Kolkata Doctor, Vandalism at Hospital
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has announced a 24-hour nationwide withdrawal of non-emergency medical services starting at 6 am on August 17, in protest against the alleged rape and murder of a trainee woman doctor at R G Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, and the subsequent vandalism at the hospital.
Essential services and casualty wards will remain operational, but outpatient departments (OPD) and elective surgeries will not be conducted during this period. The withdrawal will affect all sectors where modern medicine doctors provide services.
The IMA’s decision follows the brutal crime at R G Kar Medical College and the violence that occurred on the eve of Independence Day, where protesting students faced hooliganism.
The IMA emphasized the vulnerability of doctors, particularly women, to violence due to the nature of their profession, and criticized authorities for failing to ensure the safety of healthcare workers in hospitals and campuses.
The IMA also condemned the vandalism at the Kolkata hospital, which has been under protest by doctors since August 9, and expressed concern over the loss of crucial evidence during the ongoing CBI investigation.
According to the Kolkata Police, around 40 individuals, posing as protestors, entered the hospital, vandalized property, and attacked police personnel. The incident led to damage to the Emergency Ward, nursing station, medicine store, and a section of the OPD, as well as the destruction of several CCTV cameras.
The investigation into the doctor’s death has since been transferred to the CBI by the order of the Calcutta High Court.
(With inputs from agency)
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