Following the heinous crime at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on August 14, which saw violence erupt against protesting students on the eve of Independence Day, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) announced a nationwide withdrawal of services by modern medicine doctors. The strike will take place from 6:00 am on Saturday, August 17, to 6:00 am on Sunday, August 18. Essential services, including emergency cases, will remain operational during this period.In a press release, the IMA stated, IMA requires the sympathy of the nation with the just cause of its doctors.Why OPDs Will Be ClosedThe decision to close outpatient departments (OPDs) across the country is a direct response to the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata last week. This nationwide strike is part of a broader call to action by the IMA, aiming to denounce the violence and demand justice for the victim.After the brutal crime in RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata and the hooliganism unleashed on the protesting students on the eve of Independence Day, the Indian Medical Association declares nationwide withdrawal of services by doctors of modern medicine from 6 am on… pic.twitter.com/O3J4Gpvpa3— ANI (@ANI) August 15, 2024In Goa, over 1,000 doctors in both private and government hospitals will abstain from attending OPD services for the 24-hour period beginning August 17. Dr. Sandesh Chodankar, President of the Indian Medical Association (Goa Branch), confirmed that all OPD services in the state would be shut down in solidarity with the protest. The Goa IMA is also in discussions with hospital support staff to extend the strike to them.A Call for Justice and ReformDr. Chodankar strongly condemned the Kolkata incident, labeling it as a national shame and an attack on humanity. This is not just an act of violence against a doctor, but a brutal assault on a woman at her workplace. Such incidents demand a nationwide shutdown across all professions if we extrapolate them to other sectors, he stated.The IMA has put forward several demands, including:Justice for the Victims Family: Ensuring appropriate financial compensation, fast-tracking the investigation and trial, and delivering exemplary punishment to those responsible for the crime.Implementation of Central Laws: The immediate enactment of a central law addressing violence against doctors.Hospital Safety Zones: The declaration of hospitals as safe zones, coupled with adequate security measures for medical professionals.Dr. Chodankar emphasized that the least the medical community can do is adhere to the IMAs guidelines by shutting down routine OPD services while ensuring that emergency care remains uncompromised.The IMA will determine the next steps in their agitation on August 18.
