The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has announced a nationwide strike by doctors for 24 hours, effective Friday, in response to the rape and death of a trainee doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Government Hospital and the subsequent violence during protests.
According to an IMA press release, while all essential services and casualty care will continue, routine outpatient departments (OPDs) and elective surgeries will be suspended. The IMA is calling for national support for the medical community in light of this tragedy.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has condemned the crime, calling it a “big crime” and demanding the death penalty for the accused. She attributed the violence and vandalism at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on Wednesday night to political factions, referring to “Bam [Left] and Ram [BJP].” The unrest at RG Kar Medical College has led to ongoing protests by doctors and nurses in Kolkata, with similar demonstrations also occurring outside AIIMS Delhi.
The incident in question involves the alleged rape and murder of a woman in the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9. The case has significantly disrupted medical services, with students and healthcare professionals actively seeking justice. Videos from the scene show a mob forcing their way into the emergency ward at RG Kar Hospital, vandalizing furniture, and creating chaos at the protest site. The investigation into the rape and murder case has been taken over by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
