Nationwide Strike by Resident Doctors Halts Elective Services in Protest of Kolkata Rape-Murder Case

In response to the horrific rape and murder of a female postgraduate trainee doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, resident doctors across India have initiated a nationwide strike, disrupting elective services in hospitals. The strike, organized by the Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA), began on Monday, August 12, as a show of solidarity with colleagues at the Kolkata hospital where the tragedy occurred.

Key hospitals in the national capital, including Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital, Lady Hardinge Medical College, Maulana Azad Medical College, and VMMC & Safdarjung Hospital, were among the first to announce their support for the strike via social media. The strike follows FORDA's Sunday declaration, which stated that the indefinite suspension of elective services was necessary to ensure that the voices of healthcare professionals are heard and that their demands for justice and improved safety are met promptly.

In a statement, FORDA outlined five key demands to the authorities: swift justice for the deceased, immediate acceptance of residents' demands, protection against police brutality, the implementation of security protocols for healthcare workers, and the formation of an expert committee to expedite the ratification of the Central Healthcare Protection Act in light of the incident. The association also urged the authorities to refrain from politicizing the protest or undermining its purpose, emphasizing that the issue at hand is a matter of humanity.

In the aftermath of the incident, the West Bengal government has taken administrative action by appointing Professor Dr. Bulbul Mukhopadhyay as the new Medical Superintendent cum Vice-Principal of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The former Medical Superintendent cum Vice-Principal has been transferred to Calcutta National Medical College as a Professor in Physiology.

The strike, which affects hospitals nationwide, underscores the deep-seated concerns among healthcare professionals regarding safety and justice in the wake of the tragic event.