Doctors in India have launched a national strike, escalating the protest against the rape and murder of a female colleague in the West Bengal city of Kolkata.
The Indian Medical Association (IMA), the country’s largest doctors’ collective, has announced that all non-essential hospital services will be closed across the country on Saturday.
The IMA called last week’s killing a “barbaric crime because of the lack of safe spaces for women” and called for the country’s support in its “struggle for justice”.
Protests against the attack and calls for better protection for women have intensified in recent days, with the hospital in question vandalized by angry protesters.
Hapur: Case of murder of lady doctor in Kolkata
Doctors took out a march on the road wearing black bands on their hands
On the call of IMA, the doctors of Hapur today closed medical services and took out a foot march@hapurpolice #KolkataDoctor #Doctors_on_strike pic.twitter.com/m5D7xSsCUj
— News1India (@News1IndiaTweet) August 17, 2024
In a statement, the IMA said emergency and accident services would continue to operate and that the strike would last for 24 hours.
Doctors at some state hospitals announced earlier this week that they were halting elective procedures indefinitely.
The IMA also issued a list of demands, including strengthening the law to better protect medical staff from violence, increasing the level of security in hospitals and creating safe places to rest. He called for a “thorough and professional investigation” into the killing and the prosecution of those involved in the vandalism, as well as compensation for the woman’s family.
IMA Doctors Nationwide Strike | Patient services affected due to nationwide doctors strike
Healthcare services in #WestBengal affected as doctors protest rape, murder of colleague
Track Live Updates🔗 #Kolkata #RGKarMedicalcollege #WestBengalHorror pic.twitter.com/T5x8AOKn1k
— The Times Of India (@timesofindia) August 17, 2024
The rape of the 31-year-old trainee doctor has shocked the country.
Her half-naked body bearing extensive injuries was discovered in a seminar hall at RG Kar Medical College last week after she had reportedly gone there to rest during her shift.
A volunteer working at the hospital was arrested for the crime.
The case was transferred by local police to India’s Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) after criticism of the lack of progress.
More rape cases made headlines in India after the woman’s death, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi said “monstrous behavior against women must be punished severely and swiftly”.
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