Amid nationwide protests condemning the rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata, doctors and medical students of the All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on Friday demanded a Central Protection Act for healthcare workers.
AIIMS Delhi doctor Kumar Kartikay said that they will not step back till they get an assurance that action will be taken in the matter.
“We want to peacefully put forward our demands. We demand a Central Protection Act for healthcare workers. Until we get a written assurance, we will continue our strike… We are expecting around 3000-5000 people at Nirman Bhawan today from all the medical colleges in Delhi… We will not step back or sit quietly till we get an assurance that action will be taken,” he said.
Junior doctors and medical students at AIIMS Mangalagiri, Andhra Pradesh also staged a protest and performed a street play to protest against the rape and murder of a woman resident doctor at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
Senior Resident Doctor at AIIMS Mangalagiri, Dr Sreeja requested the CBI to conduct a transparent investigation.
“On the eve of Independence Day, protesting doctors at RG Kar faced mob attacks and also police attacks. The hospital was vandalised and evidence was erased. In condemnation of this, we are protesting here… It’s not just a crime against doctors. It’s a crime against women and humanity… We request the CBI to conduct a transparent investigation… The victim’s family should receive adequate compensation… We also demand a Central Protection Act for all healthcare workers,” she said.
Medical professionals at Chandigarh PGIMER have been continuing the protest on Friday. The doctors have stated that the protest will continue till justice is delivered.
Patients who have been coming to the Chandigarh PGIMER stated that they have been facing a lot of trouble because of the ongoing protest for five days and urged the government to fulfil the demands of the doctors.
“We are facing a lot of problems due to the absence of OPD. We have come from a long distance,” said Nitin, a patient.
“If the OPD is closed, then, we should have informed first. Now we have come. Our checkup was done on the old card but the card for meeting the new doctor is not being made, so we will have to come again,” said another patient Pushpa.
“We have been roaming around here since last night but no one is listening to us nor the doctors are attending to us. The government must listen to the doctors so that the strike gets over,” said Gurpreet, a patient.
Meanwhile, the Resident Doctors Association, Government Medical College in Amritsar, Punjab has announced the suspension of all non-essential and elective hospital services, including Out Patient Departments, Operating theatres and wards, beginning on August 16 and continuing until further notice.
