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. We are compelled to take this action and immediately stop all elective services at BJ Medical College and Sassoon General Hospital (BJMC & SGH). While the OPDs and planned surgeries will be stopped, all emergency services will continue as usual.
This candlelight march and the protest is in solidarity with our colleagues and we support the nationwide halting of elective services starting from Tuesday. This decision was not easy but is necessary to ensure that our demands for safety and justice are met without any further delay.” Dr Aakash Rade, general secretary, MARD-BJMC chapter, said, “We support the demands placed by our parent body, MARD, and we extend our full support to the demands made by residents from RG Kar Medical College, Kolkata, and the Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA) who are part of this strike.
” “The strike is likely to delay certain planned surgeries and the load on OPDs may be affected; however, emergency services would continue as usual,” said Dr Eknath Pawar, dean at BJMC and SGH. In Mumbai, resident doctors conducted candlelight marches at their colleges in the evening. Earlier in the day, their intimation letter about the strike said, “In solidarity with our colleagues, we support the nation-wide halting of elective services which will include the OPDs, elective OTs, ward duties, lab services, and the academic duties starting from 9am on Tuesday.
” MARD representatives said they have raised the issue of non-functional CCTV cameras at health hubs with the state medical education department. “It’s not only important to install CCTV cameras, but to ensure they are functional as well,” a MARD representative said. He said MARD will also submit its suggestions for CCTV installations.
MARD representatives in their strike-intimation letter said they wanted “better security measures, including fully functional CCTVs and well-equipped guards for better safety of healthcare workers”. The students demanded good hostels as well as proper on-call rooms. At some medical colleges such as JJ Hospital, there are special on-call rooms for male and female residents.
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