Pune: The BJ Medical College’s (BJMC) wing of the Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors ( MARD ) has declared halting of all elective services at the hospital from Tuesday to express solidarity with other resident doctors protesting against rape-murder of a second-year postgraduate trainee at the RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata. Emergency services will, however, not be affected, the association said. The elective services likely to be affected are OPDs, elective operations, ward duties, lab services, and academic duties.
The association has demanded an immediate, impartial, and transparent investigation of the crime by the central authority, no police brutality towards doctors protesting at RG Kar College, formation of an expert committee to speed up implementation of Central Healthcare Protection Act, and improvement of security measures, including fully functional CCTVs and well-equipped guards, for better safety of healthcare workers. Roughly 8,000 resident doctors from various public hospitals across the state will halt work — except for emergency duty — from Tuesday, said office-bearers of MARD on Monday. The action follows a nationwide strike call by the Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA) earlier in the day demanding justice for the trainee doctor at the Kolkata hospital.
Dr Shivaji Munde, president, MARD, said, “The tragic incident of physical assault, rape, and murder of a second-year PG resident doctor in Kolkata has shaken the country.