Kolkata rape case doctors strike: The nationwide doctors' strike announced by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) began at 6 am on Saturday, August 17. The major shutdown, in solidarity with the brutal rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata's RG Kar Hospital, is likely to impact hospital services, including Out Patient Department (OPD), elective operation theatre (OT) services, etc.
The strike is expected to impact hospitals in nearly all states today, and the hospital services shutdown is assumed to be the largest in over a decade. However, emergency medical services and private hospitals will likely remain open today.
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) announced a doctors' strike on Friday. The strike began at 6 a.m. on Saturday and will continue until 6 a.m. on Sunday.
-Most of the OPD services at government and private hospitals are likely to remain shut today.
-Elective surgeries planned for today might also be affected due to the doctors' strike.
-Essential services like emergency department, Intensive Care Unit (ICU), etc will remain functional.
-Casualty services will also remain available to handle urgent medical needs.
Amid the ongoing protest and IMA's announcement of doctors' strike, several other doctors association have separately called for the withdrawal of services to oppose the Kolkata doctor murder case.
-The Resident Doctors Association at Government Medical College, Amritsar has announced an indefinite strike from August 16. The doctors association has announced suspension of all non-essential and elective hospital services, including outpatient departments (OPDs), operating theaters (OTs), and wards.
-Resident Doctors' Associations across Delhi are also protesting the murder and rape of a trainee doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar Hospital.
-Hundreds of resident doctors struck work on Friday at government hospitals in Madhya Pradesh, including the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Bhopal, to protest against the alleged rape and murder
-Medica services at governent-run hospitals in Maharashtra will also remain hindered due to the ongoing doctors' strike as more number of medical professionals associated with Maharashtra State Association of Residential Doctors (Central-MARD) joined the protest.
Dr Pratik Debaje, president of Maharashtra State Association of Residential Doctors (Central-MARD) told PTI that 6000-7000 senior resident doctors affiliated to the Maharashtra Association of Bonded Resident Doctors (MABRD) and the Association of State Medical Interns (ASMI) joined the strike on Friday.
Maharashtra resident doctors are on an indefinite strike since Tuesday to express solidarity with the nationwide agitation against the rape and murder of a post-graduate trainee doctor in Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
-Government doctors, under the banner of the Punjab Civil Medical Services Association (PCMSA), announced the suspension of OPD services at all public health centres in Punjab on August 16 in solidarity with the victim.
