Protests demanding quick punishment of those responsible for the rape and murder of a woman doctor inside a Calcutta hospital continued for the third day on Sunday, affecting services in government hospitals across West Bengal.
Junior doctors, house staff and post-graduate trainees (PGT) at various state-run hospitals are also demanding security for them in the medical establishments.
None of them joined duties on Sunday, as the authorities in various hospitals are facing problems in providing service to patients, officials said.
The body of a woman PGT, who was raped and murdered inside the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, was found in its seminar room on Friday morning. The protests began from that day evening.
One person, who was reportedly an outsider frequenting the hospital premises, was arrested on Saturday.
"We want the state government to fulfil our demands and punish the culprits as quickly as possible. Our protest will continue till then," an agitating junior doctor of RG Kar Medical and Hospital said.
He said that the safety of medical professionals, particularly those who are still in training, must be fortified with urgent and effective measures.
"The government must take significant steps to secure justice for the victim. The incident is not only a reflection of systemic failures at the hospital level, but it also points toward broader societal issues that demand immediate and focused attention," he said.
Support for the agitating doctors came from different corners of the country.
The Federation of Resident Doctors' Association of India (FORDA) has supported the ongoing strike and called for a nationwide halt of elective services in hospitals on Monday.
The FORDA has informed the Union Health Ministry about their decision.
The West Bengal Doctors Forum also wrote to state Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee requesting her to form an impartial enquiry committee to probe into the rape and murder of the PGT.
The Forum also demanded adequate security for doctors and health workers employed at different hospitals in the state, besides capital punishment for the culprit.
Meanwhile, the state health department on Sunday cancelled offs and holidays of all senior doctors to tackle the stalemate.
"This will continue till the situation normalises," a health department official told PTI, adding that heads of the hospitals were instructed to issue orders in this regard.
Outpatient departments (OPDs) are not open on Sundays in state-run hospitals.
"We expect a huge rush of patients from Monday as OPDs will be opened. That is why leaves of all senior doctors were cancelled," the official said.