New Delhi: In a powerful display of outrage and solidarity, major government hospitals across Delhi are set to indefinitely halt all elective services from Monday in response to the brutal rape and murder of a resident doctor in Kolkata.
The indefinite strike is being called to demand immediate action and protection for all healthcare workers, the doctors said, as they urged for an immediate and transparent probe with "severe punishment for those responsible".
Several government hospitals in the city released official statements on Sunday announcing the shutdown of outpatient departments (OPDs), operation theatres (OTs), and ward duties starting Monday morning.
The move comes in response to a call from the Federation of Resident Doctors' Association (FORDA), after a postgraduate trainee doctor was raped and murdered at the RG Kar Medical College while on duty. The semi-naked body of the 32-year-old woman was found in the seminar hall of the government-run hospital in the West Bengal capital on Thursday night.
The resident doctors' associations (RDA) of Maulana Azad Medical College, RML Hospital, Lady Hardinge Medical College, VMMC and Safdarjung Hospital, Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital, and GTB Hospital announced the suspension of their elective services. FORDA president Dr Aviral Mathur emphasised that the safety of doctors must be prioritised to allow them to continue their crucial work without fear.
"We can no longer stand by while our safety is compromised. The recent horrific rape and murder of a fellow doctor on hospital premises is the final straw," Dr Mathur said. "We are initiating an indefinite strike to demand immediate action and protection for all healthcare workers. Our ability to care for patients hinges on our own safety being ensured," he added.
Dr Mathur said the indefinite strike called in coordination with other doctor associations of the national capital will begin tomorrow morning. Dr Bharani Kumar, president of the RDA at Delhi's VMMC and Safdarjung Hospital, expressed profound concern over the Kolkata incident. "We are deeply grieved by this heinous crime and demand an immediate, transparent investigation with severe punishment for those responsible," Dr Kumar said.
"The government must swiftly implement the 'Central Protection Act for Doctors' and enhance security measures across hospitals nationwide, including the installation of CCTV cameras in high-risk areas. Today it's Bengal, tomorrow it could be Delhi or any other part of the nation," he added. Deen Dayal Upadhyaya RDA president Dr Vipin K Madhogarhia said in a statement, "We extend our full support in the pursuit of justice for our fellow doctor in the face of this heinous crime. Together, we stand united in this hour of need."
"As a mark of solidarity with our colleagues at RG Kar, we announce a nationwide suspension of elective services in hospitals starting Monday, August 12. This decision is not made lightly but is necessary to ensure that our voices are heard and that the demands for justice and safety are addressed without further delay," the statement read.
On Saturday, several resident doctors' associations held a candlelight march, demanding an immediate and thorough investigation as well as a CBI inquiry into the incident. The Kolkata Police on Saturday arrested the accused under sections 64 (rape) and 103 (murder) of the BNS and produced him before Sealdah court, which remanded him to police custody till August 23.
