Several women medics took part in a march in the national capital on Saturday (August 17) to protest against the alleged rape and murder of a trainee doctor at a state-run hospital in Kolkata. They held placards that read “I don't want to be the next victim”. Hundreds of medics, including doctors and resident doctors, wearing stethoscopes over their white aprons, started their march from the Lady Hardinge Medical College on the sixth day of their agitation over the incident and to press for their demands such as a central law to check violence against healthcare personnel.
On reaching Connaught Place, they held an around 25-minute sit-in, before police removed barricades and allowed them to proceed to the Jantar Mantar for the next phase of their demonstration -- a candle light march.
Non-emergency services, such as OPD and diagnostics, and elective surgeries at city-based health facilities, including at Centre-run AIIMS, Safdarjung hospital and RML hospital, have been hit since Monday.
Inconvenience of patients further increased as personnel of private institutions such as Sir Ganga Ram, Fortis, and Apollo also joined protests on Sunday following a call by apex doctors' body Indian Medical Association (IMA) for a 24-hour nationwide withdrawal of non-emergency services.
A patient from Uttar Pradesh's Kanpur, who had an appointment at the GTB Hospital here, said, "I came to the Hospital on Tuesday but was told that doctors were on strike. It has been more than five days since doctors ceased work. I am going back as there is no point waiting."
Sarjeena, who contracted an infection a few months after her delivery, came to the hospital for a check-up but was told that "only emergency patients are being treated".
At the Jantar Mantar, medics took out a candle light march and raised slogans such as "We want justice," "Hang the rapist" and "We want protection." Earlier in the day, doctors at the Safdarjung and RML held a silent protest march, sporting black ribbons.
"As you are aware, in light of the heinous incident that occurred at the R G Kar Medical College, Kolkata, involving a resident doctor, the residents of our institute are on strike, demanding the urgent implementation of a 'Central Protection Act' to ensure a safe environment for practising doctors," the Faculty Association of AIIMS (FAIMS) said in a communication to the AIIMS-Delhi director.
The IMA on Saturday sought the intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the implementation of its demands -- a thorough overhaul of the working and living conditions of resident doctors, a central law to check violence against healthcare personnel at workplaces, declaration of hospitals as safe zones with the first step being mandatory security entitlements, meticulous and professional investigation of the last week incident in Kolkata, and an appropriate and dignified compensation to the bereaved family.
(With PTI inputs)
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