The brutal rape and murder of a doctor in Kolkata has sparked widespread outrage, leading to a major disruption in medical services. In response, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has called for a nationwide strike starting at 6 am on Saturday, August 17, and ending at 6 am on Sunday, August 18. This strike is expected to be the largest in over a decade, closing most hospital departments across the country.
Additionally, routine hospital services at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi will not be operational today. Members of the Faculty Association have gone on strike to protest the horrific incident at RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata.
What’s open and closed during the nationwide doctors' strike:
- The strike will start at 6 a.m. on August 17 and end at 6 a.m. on August 18.
- Most hospital departments will be closed over the weekend. Routine outpatient departments (OPDs) and elective surgeries will be suspended.
- Essential services, including emergency care and critical treatments, will remain operational.
- Casualty services will be available to address urgent medical needs.
- The strike will impact all areas of modern medicine, affecting both public and private hospitals.
Medical fraternity rallies:
- The Resident Doctors Association at Government Medical College, Amritsar, will halt all non-essential and elective services from August 16 until further notice.
- Delhi’s Resident Doctors' Associations will stage a joint protest march on August 16, starting at 2 p.m. from Nirman Bhavan.
- The Delhi Medical Association (DMA) will conduct a candle march at India Gate at 5 p.m. on August 16.
- The Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) will hold a protest at Azad Maidan in Mumbai on August 16.
- The Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist) has announced a 12-hour general strike in Siliguri on August 16, significantly disrupting the city as most shops have been closed since 6 p.m. on Thursday.
