Kolkata rape-murder: Junior doctors go on strike in Kerala; non-emergency services affected
IMA called for nationwide medical shutdown on Saturday.
IMA called for nationwide medical shutdown on Saturday.
IMA called for nationwide medical shutdown on Saturday.
Thiruvananthapuram: The operation of hospitals across Kerala was affected on Friday as junior doctors went on a 24-hour strike to protest over the brutal rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. Junior doctors including resident doctors and PG students are boycotting duties at Out Patient Department and elective surgeries from 6 am on Friday. The token strike will continue till 6 am Saturday.
The junior doctors staged a demonstration and protest march in Thiruvananthapuram, Ernakulam and Kozhikode on Friday morning.
On Thursday, Kerala Medical Post Graduates Association (KMPGA) declared that the PG doctors would boycott all non-emergency services including duty in the Out Patient department as well as wards. The association said that the strike would not affect the emergency department in the hospitals.
The medics in Kerala also demanded the central government implement the Central Protection Act for the safety of the doctors. Government doctors are also observing black day on Friday to mark their protest. Meanwhile, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has announced a 24-hour nationwide withdrawal of non-emergency services from 6 am on August 17.
A postgraduate trainee doctor was allegedly raped and brutally murdered while on duty at the hospital on August 9 at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. A civic volunteer has been arrested in connection with the crime the next day. The Calcutta High Court ordered the immediate transfer of the investigation into the crime to the CBI from the Kolkata Police on August 13.
The brutal rape and murder led to nationwide protest of doctors seeking justice for the deceased and the implementation of the Central Protection Act for the healthcare workers. In Delhi, The Resident Doctors Associations of major hospitals including AIIMS, VMMC and Safdarjung Hospital, Ram Manohar Lohia, Indira Gandhi Hospital, Dr Baba Saheb Ambedkar Hospital, Maulana Azad Medical College continued the strike for a third day on the trot, shutting down OPDs, operation theatres, and wards.