Doctors across India halt services in protest over Kolkata murder

Hospitals and clinics across India were forced to turn away patients, except for emergency cases, as medical professionals staged a 24-hour shutdown on Saturday. The protest was in response to the rape and murder of a doctor earlier this month in Kolkata, a crime that has sparked outrage across the country.

More than one million doctors were anticipated to participate in the strike, effectively paralysing medical services across the nation. To manage emergency cases, hospitals pressed faculty staff from medical colleges into service.

In a statement released on Saturday following a meeting with representatives from various medical associations, the Indian government urged doctors to resume their duties in the public interest. The government also announced plans to establish a committee tasked with proposing measures to enhance the protection of healthcare professionals.

Despite this, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) stated that it was reviewing the government’s offer but did not call off the strike, which was scheduled to end at 6 a.m. (0030 GMT) on Sunday.

The walkout was the latest action in response to the murder of a 31-year-old trainee doctor last week at the medical college in Kolkata where she worked. The crime has triggered nationwide protests among medical workers and a widespread public outcry, reminiscent of the anger that followed the 2012 gang rape and murder of a 23-year-old student in New Delhi.

According to the IMA, the strike disrupted access to elective medical procedures and outpatient consultations across the country.

There was a significant police presence outside Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College, where the doctor was killed. The hospital premises were largely deserted, as reported by the ANI news agency.

Mamata Banerjee, the Chief Minister of West Bengal, supported the protests across the state. On Saturday evening, her government announced measures to improve security for women working night shifts, including the creation of designated rest areas and safe zones monitored by cameras. The state government also encouraged private institutions to consider additional security measures, such as night patrols, to ensure a safer working environment for women.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has detained one suspect in connection with the case. According to a police source in Kolkata, the CBI has also summoned several medical students from the college and questioned the hospital's principal as part of its investigation.

Protests took place throughout the day in Kolkata, led by doctors, civil society members, and political leaders. Many private clinics and diagnostic centres remained closed in solidarity with the strike.

Dr Sandip Saha, a private paediatrician in Kolkata, told Reuters that he would only attend to emergency patients during the strike.

The strike extended to cities across India, including Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh, Ahmedabad in Gujarat, Guwahati in Assam, and Chennai in Tamil Nadu, making it one of the largest shutdowns of hospital services in recent memory.

Patients across the country found themselves queuing at hospitals, many unaware of the strike. At SCB Medical College Hospital in Cuttack, Odisha, an unidentified patient expressed frustration after spending 500 rupees on travel, only to be turned away without receiving medical attention.

"I have paralysis and a burning sensation in my feet, head, and other parts of my body," the patient told local television. "We were not aware of the strike. What can we do? We have to return home."

Another patient, Raghunath Sahu, 45, who had brought his ailing grandmother to SCB Medical College, said that the daily quota for patient consultations had been exhausted before noon, leaving them without care for the day.

Following the 2012 Delhi gang rape, India’s government implemented significant changes to the criminal justice system, including harsher sentences. However, campaigners argue that these measures have not been sufficient to deter violence against women.

"Women form the majority of our profession in this country. Time and again, we have asked for safety for them," IMA President R.V. Asokan told Reuters. The IMA has called for further legal measures to better protect healthcare workers from violence.