August 12th 2024.
In the city of Kolkata, the normal functioning of hospitals has been severely disrupted for the fourth day in a row. Junior doctors, interns, and postgraduate trainees are on strike, demanding justice for their colleague who was recently raped and murdered. Despite continuing to fulfill their emergency duties for the past three days, the doctors have now stopped all work as of Monday morning.
One of the protesting junior doctors from RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, where the tragic incident took place, stated, "We are demanding a fair investigation into the murder of our colleague, either by the CBI or a sitting magistrate. We are not satisfied with the current police investigation and will continue our protest until we see justice served. We also urge the state to provide better security for all doctors and healthcare workers."
The victim, a post-graduate trainee, was found dead in a seminar hall of the hospital on Friday morning. On Saturday, a civic volunteer was arrested in connection with the crime. In response to the tense situation, the state government has cancelled the leave of all senior doctors to ensure that patient care is not compromised.
An official informed PTI that senior doctors have been instructed to work until the situation is under control. Mondays usually see a high number of patients in the outpatient departments of state hospitals, and the government is hopeful that the senior doctors will handle the influx efficiently.
The strike has received support from various parts of the country, with the Federation of Resident Doctors' Association of India endorsing it and calling for a nationwide halt of elective services on Monday. They have also informed the Union Health Ministry of their decision. The West Bengal Doctors Forum has also appealed to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for an impartial inquiry committee to investigate the rape and murder of their colleague. In addition to this, they have demanded increased security for all doctors and healthcare workers in the state and are seeking capital punishment for the perpetrator.
The situation remains tense as the strike and protests continue, with the doctors determined to not back down until their demands are met. The state government and authorities are working to find a solution and ensure that medical services are not disrupted for the public.
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