The Federation of Medical Associations late on Friday evening announced a countrywide 48-hour suspension of all medical services, that could include planned surgeries, in solidarity with the junior doctors on hunger strike in Calcutta.

The junior doctors of Bengal are on hunger strike for a week demanding a clean-up of the state healthcare set-up in the aftermath of the rape and murder of a postgraduate trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Calcutta on August 9. Some of then have been hospitalised.

"To support and in solidarity with their justified demands and expecting empathy from the government, the FeMA, an apolitical federation of 69 academic medical organisations, is forced to call for a 48-hour cease-work by all physicians and surgeons in all specialties in government and private sectors (from 14 October 2024 at 6 AM to 16 October 2024 at 6 AM) for all non-emergency duties. This includes OPD and private clinics, planned surgeries be cancelled for the said duration," the association announced in a press release.

In line with the doctors affiliated to private hospitals in Calcutta and the rest of the state association has stated the period could be "extended based on the government's stance on hunger strike by the junior physicians”.

The statement added: " All emergency services however will remain active to ensure no patients suffer. Again, we urge the government to listen to the protesting doctors and show sensitivity. Services will resume immediately if they respond in a timely manner. We hope the public appreciates the gravity of the issue and why we had to take this severe action and forgives us.”