Doctors nationwide have halted work, except for emergency procedures, in protest against the rape and murder of a 31-year-old doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
The protests have spread across the country. Here are 10 key points about the situation:
- The Federation of Resident Doctors’ Association (FORDA) declared a nationwide suspension of elective procedures in hospitals yesterday. In a letter to Union Health Minister JP Nadda, FORDA described the incident in Kolkata as “possibly the greatest travesty in the history of the resident doctor community.”
- FORDA has called for the resignation of all officials responsible for failing to safeguard the dignity and life of the on-duty doctor. They have also demanded assurances against the manhandling of protesting doctors and swift action in the case.
- The association is also pushing for enhanced security protocols for healthcare workers, urging the Centre to implement mandatory safety measures for their protection.
- Many hospitals in Kolkata are experiencing disruptions in treatment as doctors have joined the protest demanding justice. Patients and their families have reported significant inconvenience due to the ongoing demonstrations.
- At King George’s Medical University in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, protesting doctors gathered this morning and marched to the outdoor patients’ department, halting work there. Patients and their relatives were seen banging on the OPD doors, demanding treatment.
- In Mumbai, doctors at several major hospitals, including JJ Hospital, Sion Hospital, Nair Hospital, and King Edward Memorial Hospital, have joined the protests.
- At AIIMS Delhi, the number of daily surgeries has dropped by 80 percent and admissions by 35 percent due to an indefinite strike by doctors following the Kolkata incident, according to news agency PTI.
- The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has sent a letter to Health Minister Nadda, calling for the enactment of a central law to prevent attacks and violence against doctors and to declare hospitals as safe zones.
- The IMA noted that while 25 states have laws against attacks on doctors, these are largely ineffective. They argue that the lack of a central law is a key reason for this ineffectiveness.
- A civic volunteer who frequently visited the hospital has been arrested in connection with the rape and murder of the Kolkata doctor. West Bengal’s Chief Minister has given the city police until Sunday to complete their investigation, after which the state government will recommend a CBI inquiry.