International Desk

Doctors across India have refused to return to work, except for emergency procedures, as they protest against the rape and murder of a 31-year-old doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. Nationwide protests are underway.

The Federation of Resident Doctors’ Association (FORDA) yesterday announced a nationwide pause in elective services in hospitals. In a letter to Union Health Minister JP Nadda, FORDA described the Kolkata incident as “perhaps the greatest travesty to have occurred in the history of the resident doctor community”.

FORDA has demanded resignation of all responsible authorities who could not protect the dignity and life of a woman on-duty doctor. They have also sought an assurance that the protesting doctors will not be manhandled and swift action in the case.

The doctors’ association has also demanded security protocols for healthcare workers. The Centre, it has said, must enforce a mandated protocol for security of healthcare workers.

Treatment at most hospitals in Kolkata has taken a hit after doctors joined the protest demanding justice in the case. Several patients and their relatives have complained of inconvenience due to the protest.

At King George’s Medical University at Uttar Pradesh’s Lucknow, protesting doctors gathered this morning and marched to the outdoor patients’ department to stop work there.

In Mumbai, doctors in several prominent hospitals have joined the protest. These include JJ Hospital, Sion Hospital, Nair Hospital and King Edward Memorial Hospital.

The number of daily surgeries at AIIMS Delhi are down by 80 per cent and admissions by 35 per cent after doctors began an indefinite strike over the Kolkata incident, news agency PTI has reported.

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has shot off a letter to Health Minister Nadda, demanding the enactment of a central law to curb attacks and violence against doctors as a “deterrence” measure and declaration of hospitals as safe zones.

The Association has said 25 states have laws to prevent attacks on doctors, but these are mostly ineffective on the ground. “The absence of a special central enactment is one of the reasons,” it has said.

A civic volunteer who frequented the hospital has been arrested in connection with the rape and murder of the Kolkata doctor. West Bengal Chief Minister has given city police time till Sunday to complete the probe, after which the state government will recommend a CBI investigation.

Source : NDTV