Nw Desk The Indian Medical Association announces the closure of non-emergency services for 24 hours nationwide on August 17.
The Kolkata rape and murder case of a 31-year-old on-duty postgraduate trainee doctor at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital has spread shock across the nation. The CBI has taken over the case and has also been grilling forensic experts and hospital doctors. Sanjay Roy, a civil volunteer with Kolkata Police, was arrested in the case as he is a prime suspect. Recently, a medical room of the Kolkata hospital was also vandalized by unidentified miscreants amid protests against the alleged rape and murder of the on-duty doctor.
IMA announces nationwide withdrawal of non-emergency services on August 17.
The Indian Medical Association (IMA), after the hospital medical room’s vandalism, has announced a nationwide withdrawal of non-emergency services for 24 hours from 6 am on August 17. This announcement has been made to protest against the gruesome alleged rape and murder of the trainee doctor at the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. According to the medical body, essential services will be maintained, and casualty wards will be operational. They further said that OPDs will not function and elective surgeries will not be conducted.
What did the statement by the IMA read?
The statement by the IMA said, “Subsequent to the brutal crime in R G Kar Medical College, Kolkata, and the hooliganism unleashed on the protesting students on the eve of Independence Day (Wednesday night), the Indian Medical Association declares nationwide withdrawal of services by doctors of modern medicine from 6 am on Saturday 17.08.2024 to 6 am Sunday 18.08.2024 for 24 hours.” It further said, “Doctors, especially women, are vulnerable to violence because of the nature of the profession. It is for authorities to provide for the safety of doctors inside hospitals and campuses. Both physical assaults and crimes are a result of indifference and insensitivity of the authorities concerned to the needs of doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers.”
They decided to call for a nationwide withdrawal of non-emergency services after meeting with state branches of the IMA.
Kolkata rape-murder case: IMA questions the presence of “non-experts” at the crime scene