(Source)
Doctors across India are refusing to treat non-emergency patients as they demand safer workplaces in protest over the rape and murder of a 31-year-old junior doctor in the eastern city of Kolkata on August 9. The strike, which began the same day, has since severely disrupted medical services across the country.
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Fueling the protest: The junior doctor was brutally raped and murdered at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. Her autopsy result shows multiple injuriessuggesting she resisted her attackers before being strangled. A police volunteer was arrested, but the victim’s family alleges gang rape, leading to the case being referred to India’s Central Bureau of Investigations. The incident has sparked nationwide outrage, reminiscent of the 2012 Delhi gang rape case that saw thousands take to the streets to demand justice.
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What the doctors say: The protesting doctors demand immediate and strict measures safety measuresincluding heightened hospital security, safe spaces to rest and legal protections that would make any attack on medics on duty a non-bailable offence. “Our indefinite strike and sit-in will continue until our demands are met,” said Dr Aniket Mahata, a spokesperson for the striking junior doctors at RG Kar Medical College. The government has promised to set up a committee to address these concerns.
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