Monday, 23 December 2024
Monday, 23 December 2024
Non-essential medical services came to a standstill as over a million doctors nationwide joined a 24-hour protest, expressing growing outrage over the escalating violence against women.
“Doctors, especially women, are vulnerable to violence because of the nature of the profession. It is for the authorities to provide for the safety of doctors inside hospitals and campuses.” the Indian Medical Association press release on the strike had said.
The strike, which began at 6 am, put elective medical procedures and outpatient consultations on hold, according to a statement by the Indian Medical Association (IMA).
Private institutions too gave their support to the strike with doctors at major private hospitals such as Fortis and Apollo participating in it, with doctors not turning up to OPD’s in some instances.
The association of doctors collectively agreed to implement a common unified action plan aimed at pushing for a central protection law for the doctors and healthcare workers.
OPD services at major New Delhi hospitals remained suspended as doctors at the Guru Teg Bahadur, Ram Manohar Lohia and Deen Dayal Upadhyaya hospitals continued their protest.
Demonstrators and women doctors, including seniors, juniors, interns and all medical staffs held posters demanding for justice and accountability for the rape and murder of the trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
A resident doctor holds a placard during protest amid the 24-hour nationwide strike called by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) demanding justice for the woman doctor who was allegedly raped and murdered at Calcutta's R G Kar Medical College and Hospital, in Bengaluru, Saturday, Aug. 17, 2024.
PTIThe Karnataka Association for Resident Doctors demand training programs for doctors, nurses and other hospital staff to handle adverse situations and ensure their safety.
Patients wait in front of the hospitals unaware of the 24-hour strike.
Members of the IMA, Jharkhand State Health Association (JHSA), RDA-CIP, and the Association of Healthcare Providers took out a march in Ranchi.
In Pune, resident and senior doctors of both the government and private hospitals have been on strike for the past four days. Staff doctors at private diagnostic centers have also joined in the protests. The extensive participation in the 24 hour-strike is expected to cause considerable disruptions in medical service in the city.
Doctors in large numbers gathered outside the halls of Indian Medical Association in Kannur holding placards and banners demanding justice for the trainee doctor and protection for the healthcare professionals.
