Numerous patients are being refused entry into hospitals and clinics throughout India as over a million physicians are expected to participate in a protest strike against the sexual assault and murder of a medical trainee.
The strike, lasting 24 hours, commenced at 6 am local time (1.30 am UK time) resulting in the cancellation of non-urgent medical services such as outpatient appointments and elective procedures, announced the Indian Medical Association (IMA).
Hospitals were left in chaos as personnel from medical schools were mobilized to assist with emergency situations.
The strike was instigated by the tragic death of a 31-year-old medical trainee, whose lifeless body was discovered on the 9th of August at the university where she was training in Kolkata.
While a police volunteer was apprehended, the victim’s family suspects that it was a group assault and that multiple individuals were involved.
This incident has been likened to the infamous rape and murder of a student on a bus in New Delhi in 2012.
Protests erupted near the parliament in the capital on Friday, as well as in cities like Kolkata, Hyderabad, and Mumbai, demanding harsher penalties and improved safety measures for doctors.
The establishment where the doctor was murdered, the state-managed RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, also faced an attack on Wednesday.
The IMA stated in a message on X that “Doctors, especially women, are susceptible to violence due to the nature of their profession.”
“It is the responsibility of the authorities to ensure the safety of doctors within hospital premises and campuses,” they added.
Medical students protested in Ahmedabad on Saturday. Pic: AP
A demonstration was staged in Mumbai. Pic: AP
Instances of sexual violence against women and girls continue to be a prevalent issue in India, with 31,516 rape cases reported in 2022 – a 20% surge from 2021, as per the National Crime Records Bureau.
Many cases are believed to remain unreported due to societal stigma surrounding sexual assault and a lack of confidence in law enforcement.
The judicial handling of the medical college incident has been transferred to India’s central bureau of investigation following allegations of mishandling by state government officials.
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According to a police source, medical students and the school’s principal have been interrogated.
Additionally, protests have erupted in the northern state of Uttarakhand this week following the rape and murder of a 33-year-old nurse in Rampur on 1 August.
Celebrities from Bollywood and other sectors in India have joined the chorus demanding stricter penalties.
“Appalling acts against women should be punished severely and swiftly,” declared Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a speech on Thursday to commemorate Independence Day.
