The Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Friday announced a 24-hour nationwide withdrawal of services by doctors of modern medicine beginning at 6 am on Saturday, in response to the brutal rape and murder of a young trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata last week.
All essential services will be maintained, and casualties will be manned. However, routine OPDs will be closed, and elective surgeries will not be conducted.
“The withdrawal is across all sectors wherever modern medicine doctors are providing service,” the IMA said in a statement.
“All essential services will be maintained. Casualties will be manned. Routine OPDs will not function, and elective surgeries will not be conducted. The withdrawal is across all sectors, wherever modern medicine doctors are providing service. IMA requires the sympathy of the nation for the just cause of its doctors,” it added.
Stating that the incident of brutal rape and murder of an on-duty young post-graduate doctor of chest medicine at RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata on August 9 has shocked both the medical fraternity and the nation, the IMA said, “The crime situation was handled shabbily by the college authorities, and the police investigations stalled after the first day.”
“Ever since the resident doctors have been on strike, Protests as well as candle marches have been held across the country by IMA as well,” it said.
“On August 13, 2024, the Calcutta High Court asked the state police to hand over the case to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) while expressing discontent with the investigation so far,” the IMA said.
“On August 15, 2024, the hospital was vandalized by a large crowd, which destroyed various sections of the hospital, including the area where the victim was found. The medical students who were on protest were attacked as well,” it added.
