New Delhi | WTNS | Aug 16:City hospitals observed a unanimous shutdown of OPDs and elective surgeries were halted on Saturday to protest the gruesome rape and murder of a junior doctor at Kolkata’s R G Kar Medical College and Hospital and to demand safety at the workplace.
In response to the nationwide call by the Indian Medical Association, around 20,000 doctors across 900 small and medium nursing homes and hospitals did not conduct their regular outpatient department (OPDs). Dr Sanjay Patil, Secretary, Hospital Board of India, Maharashtra, said that at least 35 doctors’ associations submitted a memorandum of their demands to the District Collector’s office and then staged silent demonstrations on Saturday morning at B J Medical College. “On an average at least 30-40,000 surgeries are conducted across various hospitals in the city.
They were deferred as hospitals unanimously supported the day long stir that was called by IMA,” Dr Patil said
Resident doctors have entered the fifth day of the stir at the government medical college to protest the tragic incident at Kolkata. “On Saturday evening, we were joined by counterparts at YCM hospital and Dr D Y Patil Medical College and hospital and doctors from the Indian Medical Association as we took out another protest rally,” Dr Shivaji Munde, President, B J Medical College unit of Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors said.
At the government hospital, there has been a dip in the OPD attendance and today only 900 patients turned up for treatment. “Till 2 pm we could only conduct 15-20 major surgeries,” Dr Eknath Pawar, Dean , B J Medical College and Sassoon General Hospital said.
Dr H K Sale, President Association of Hospitals, Pune said that majority of the 40 large hospitals participated in the nationwide stir that was called by IMA today. “Barring emergency , critical and obstetric surgeries, deliveries and C-sections, other elective surgeries were postponed,” Dr Sale said. The Association had issued letters to Bharati hospital, Ruby Hall Clinic, KEM hospital and other major hospitals and according to Dr Sale there was unanimous participation.
Ruby Hall Clinic hosted a candlelight vigil to express solidarity and raise awareness. The event saw the participation of the entire hospital staff, including Dr. Purvez Grant, Chief Cardiologist and Chairman and Managing Trustee; Dr. Simon Grant, Physician and Trustee and others participating. With the exception of the emergency department, the hospital paused operations as a mark of respect. The vigil provided a platform for the community to stand united in the fight against violence and to advocate for justice. Medicover Hospitals also stood in solidarity with healthcare professionals and as part of the protest all routine OPDs and elective surgeries were suspended.
Jan Arogya Abhhiyan (JAA), a coalition of health rights organisations, people’s movements and civil society groups, strongly condemned the murder and rape of a second-year postgraduate resident at the R G Kar Medical College and Hospital, Kolkata. “We stand with protesting citizens in demanding a thorough, impartial investigation into the incident and its alleged links to large-scale corruption within the hospital. We also denounce attempts to vandalise the crime scene and destroy crucial evidence during the investigation,” Dr Abhay Shukla, Deepak Jadhav and others from JAA said in a statement issued here.
“The safety of women in these settings is paramount. This incident must not be viewed in isolation since sexual harassment and violence against patients and healthcare workers, particularly women, is pervasive across hospitals. Vulnerability extends to women doctors, junior doctors, nurses, paramedics, and frontline workers such as ASHAs and Anganwadi Workers. These violations reflect deeper power imbalances and systemic violence within the healthcare system,” they said in the statement.
