NEW DELHI: All OPDs and elective surgeries in government, private, and even corporate hospitals across the country will not operate for 24 hours on August 17 following a clarion call given by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Thursday to protest the brutal rape and murder of a trainee medical student in Kolkata.The incident had sparked a nationwide spontaneous outpour of outrage, leading to resident and junior doctors shunning work. The IMA held an emergency meeting with its state branches earlier in the day following the midnight mob attack on the protesting resident and junior doctors on Wednesday at the state-run RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata. It said that casualty and emergency services, however, will not be disrupted and will continue to function in all the hospitals.Speaking with this paper, Dr R.V. Asokan, National President of the Indian Medical Association (IMA), said they have also appealed to the doctors working in corporate hospitals to withdraw their services from OPD and elective surgeries for 24 hours – starting 6 am Saturday to 6 am Sunday.”We want the government to declare hospitals as safe zones and bring the Central Protection Act for healthcare workers,” said Dr Asokan. The IMA, the largest doctors’ organization in the country with 3.5 lakh members, announced a nationwide strike on August 17, even as resident and junior doctors, interns, and even medical students further intensified their protest for the fourth consecutive day after news and pictures of the midnight attack by goons on doctors in the Kolkata hospital surfaced on social media. IMA also issued a statement condemning the vandalism, which they said “points to anarchy.”“Is this independence?” posted Dr Rakesh Bagdi Gurjar, senior resident at AIIMS, Delhi, in an apparent reference to India celebrating its 78th Independence Day on Thursday.“Heartbreaking: Mob attacked our peaceful protest and vandalised RG Kar Hospital. Police quietly watches. But we will not be intimidated. We will carry on our protest. Join us, brave young doctors, take a bow,” he said.
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