The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has announced a 24-hour statewide withdrawal of non essential services in all health care institutions today in solidarity with medical professionals across the country who have been protesting against violence unleashed upon doctors.
The protests came after a doctor from Kolkata was brutally attacked by relatives of a deceased patient the hospital had been treating.
According to report released by IMA says,IMA calls for an All India nation –wide withdrawal of non essential services in all health care institutions Today . All non essential services including OPDs will be withdrawn for 24 hours from 6:00 am to 6:00 am next day. All emergency and causality services will continue to function,the report added.
On Tuesday, a student doctor interning at the NRS Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata was allegedly attacked by the relatives of a recently deceased patient at the hospital. Dr Paribaha Mukharjee was allegedly hit with a brick on his head, leaving him with a fractured skull. Within hours, social media was flooded with messages of outrage and solidarity with the doctor.
Doctors and other members of the medical community tweeted with the hashtag #SaveTheDoctors, stating that they will be boycotting work and standing with him in support of the young doctor who was attacked and that the protests will continue until action is taken.
The incident sparked massive outrage among the medical community, with several doctors from the state of West Bengal’s healthcare sector threatening mass resignation if proper action was not taken to ensure the security and safety of doctors.
On Friday, the IMA called for a nationwide protest against the rising number of violent attacks against doctors in the country.