New Delhi: The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has announced a 24-hour nationwide hunger strike on October 15 to support doctors in West Bengal, seeking justice for the young doctor who was raped and murdered at R G Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.
The announcement comes as a fast-unto-death agitation by junior doctors at the hospital entered the ninth day, with three hospitalised so far.
“The nationwide action will be led by IMA Junior Doctors Network and Medical Students Network,” the IMA said in a statement on Sunday.
“Across the country, IMA Junior Doctors’ Network (JDN) will organise fasting from dawn to dusk between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Tuesday. IMA JDN will coordinate with RDAs as well as support their local actions,” the statement said.
“Young doctors of Kolkata are on a Fast-Unto-Death struggle for their legitimate demands. They are on their ninth day of fasting. Three of them have been hospitalised. The movement has the support of the people. IMA has appealed to West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to accept their demands,” it added.
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Further, the IMA noted that its National President, RV Asokan, met the fasting young doctors. Its Bengal unit is actively supporting the young doctors at the agitation.
“IMA Bengal has declared solidarity by fasting on Sunday in all the local branches,” the statement said.
The IMA has also urged all office bearers and resident doctors in the country to join the fast. The doctors’ body noted that the fasting/protest venue “should be ideally in their medical colleges or near the campuses”.
Meanwhile, doctors posted with different private hospitals in West Bengal announced that they would be on partial cease-work for 48 hours from October 14.
The partial cease-work will start at 6 a.m. on October 14 and continue until 6 a.m. on October 16. During this period, only emergency medical services in these private hospitals will be available.
Earlier, the senior doctors of the state-run RG Kar Hospital had tendered their mass resignations, expressing solidarity with the agitating junior doctors. The West Bengal government has rejected the resignation letters, saying they have ‘no legal value’.
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–IANS & Mediaeye Input
