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The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has announced a 24-hour nationwide withdrawal of non-emergency medical services, starting at 6 a.m. on August 17, 2024. This strike is in response to the alleged rape and murder of a trainee woman doctor at the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata and the subsequent acts of vandalism at the facility. The decision was made after intensive discussions with the IMA's State branches, highlighting the deep concerns regarding the safety of healthcare professionals.

During the strike, essential services will continue to operate, with casualty wards remaining open. However, outpatient departments (OPDs) will be closed, and elective surgeries will not take place. The withdrawal of services will affect all sectors where modern medicine practitioners are engaged, signaling a significant impact on healthcare delivery across the country.

The IMA, in a strongly worded statement, pointed out the heightened vulnerability of doctors, particularly women, to violence within hospital settings. The medical body called on authorities to take responsibility for ensuring the safety of healthcare workers, criticizing the persistent indifference and insensitivity that have often resulted in such incidents. The IMA emphasized that the risks inherent in the medical profession are exacerbated by the failure of authorities to protect those who serve on the front lines.

This protest comes in the wake of the alleged rape and murder, which has ignited widespread outrage and protests among the medical community. The IMA has condemned the vandalism at the Kolkata hospital, which took place on August 9, accusing the authorities of failing to maintain law and order during a critical investigation being conducted by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

According to the Kolkata Police, nearly 40 individuals, masquerading as protestors, stormed the hospital premises, causing extensive damage. The vandals reportedly targeted the Emergency Ward, nursing station, medicine store, and sections of the OPD. Police personnel were injured in the confrontation, prompting the police to use tear gas to disperse the mob.

The IMA expressed concern that the violence could jeopardize the ongoing investigation by destroying crucial evidence. Condemning the attack, the medical body described it as an act of anarchy and a severe breakdown of law and order. The IMA's strike aims to draw national attention to these pressing issues and to demand the protection and justice that healthcare workers urgently need.