Subhechcha Ganguly 
A statewide 24-hour non-emergency medical services pullout has been called by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) in protest of the violent rape and murder of a trainee women doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. The protests began at 6 am on Saturday, August 17.The IMA released a list of five demands on Friday, which included a comprehensive reorganisation of resident physicians’ living and working environments and the creation of a national law to prevent workplace violence against medical professionals.
The 36-hour shift that the RG Kar hospital victim was working and the absence of safe rest areas were among the many grievances that the IMA asked be addressed in the comprehensive review of resident physicians’ housing and working arrangements.The planned Hospital Protection Bill of 2019 was advocated by the IMA as a key measure that would include the 2023 revisions to the Epidemic Diseases measure of 1897. It is believed that this action would reinforce the current laws in 25 states. Additionally, the IMA has recommended that in this case, an ordinance such to the one passed during the Covid-19 outbreak would be acceptable.
Junior doctors Rumalika Kumar and Riya Bera from RG Kar Medical College and Hospital expressed dissatisfaction, stating that their demands for justice have not been met. They also called for the immediate arrest of all culprits with proper evidence.Speaking at a joint press conference on Friday, Rumalika Kumar said, “Due to non-transparency, the investigation has been transferred from the Kolkata Police to the CBI. However, even after 48 hours, our demands for justice have not been fulfilled at all. We have no clarity regarding the ongoing investigation.”
