New Delhi: Doctors, angry with the events that took place after the rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata, have demonstrated their anger by going on strike in different states of the country. In this connection, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has called for a nationwide strike on August 17. According to a release issued by the association, government and private hospitals will be a part of this nationwide strike and this strike will continue from 6 am on August 17 to 6 am on August 18. Along with declaring hospitals as safe zones, IMA has demanded the government to immediately implement the Central Protection Act.
FORDA announced to continue the protest
IMA will also protest against the violence that took place at Kolkata‘s R.G. Kar Medical College on Wednesday night. Earlier, the Federation of Resident Doctors’ Association (FORDA) announced it to continue its protest on Thursday. The union had withdrawn its strike after the Health Ministry gave verbal assurances to meet their demands, including bringing a law to prevent attacks on medical workers, but the doctors strongly criticized it, due to which FORDA decided to protest again. Resident doctors of Delhi’s major government hospitals, including AIIMS, VMMC-Safdarjung Hospital, and Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, closed elective services and went on strike on Monday morning.
Doctors are protesting in many parts of the country
The doctors on strike are demanding better security and safety measures for medical workers and the passing of laws. In this connection, the doctors are also going to surround the Ministry of Health on Friday. FORDA announced to protest again at a time when the Resident Doctors Association (RDA) had alleged on Wednesday that the Federation decided to end the strike without consulting them. Along with this, RDA also accused FORDA of ‘stabbing the medical fraternity in the back’. Due to the protests of doctors, health services have collapsed in many parts of the country and now after the announcement of IMA, there is a danger of almost complete breakdown of health services on Saturday.