Doctors across India have launched an indefinite strike starting Monday to protest the brutal rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata. This nationwide strike, led by the Federation of Resident Doctors' Associations (FORDA), has resulted in significant disruptions to hospital services, particularly affecting elective procedures.
Significantly, FORDA has first announced the strike in a statement released on Sunday, aiming to show solidarity with the victims and address broader issues of safety for healthcare workers.
"As a mark of our solidarity with the colleagues of RG Kar, we announce a nationwide halt of elective services in hospitals starting Monday. This decision is not made lightly, but it is necessary to ensure that our voices are heard and that the demands for justice and safety are met without further delay," FORDA stated earlier.
It further also presented five demands to the authorities, including the expeditious acceptance of residents' demands, no police brutality, swift justice for the deceased, security protocols for healthcare workers, and the formation of an expert committee to expedite the ratification of the Central Healthcare Protection Act in the aftermath of the incident.
Moreover, the Resident Doctors' Association also called on the authorities not to politicize their agitation or tarnish its cause. "It’s humanity that is at stake here," FORDA emphasized.
"We request everyone to collectively support and help doctors—they're wounded from within," the statement added.
'Major hospitals joined in with FORDA's call'
Notably, after FORDA's call, hospitals in major cities including Delhi, Mumbai, and Kolkata extended its support for the strike. In Delhi, ten government hospitals, including Maulana Azad Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital, have ceased elective services. Despite this, emergency services remain operational to ensure urgent patient needs are addressed.
'About the elective services tht were put on hold'
The strike which calls in solidarity with the tragic incident unfolded in Kolkata include the suspension of all non-emergency services. This includes outpatient departments (OPDs), operation theatres (OTs), and ward duties. Elective services, which are non-urgent and medically non-essential, such as scheduled clinical anaesthesia, are specifically impacted.
Dr. Suresh Kumar, MD of LNJP Hospital, highlighted that while OPD services will be suspended, arrangements have been made to minimize patient inconvenience and ensure that emergency care continues without disruption.
READ MORE | Kolkata rape-murder case: Resident doctors hold nationwide strike, elective services at hospitals affected
