Doctors Across India Protest After Trainee Doctor’s Tragic Death in Kolkata
New Delhi, India, August 16: In response to the tragic rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata, doctors and medical organizations across India have announced protests.
Protests in Amritsar
The Resident Doctors Association at Government Medical College in Amritsar, Punjab, has suspended all non-essential and elective hospital services, including Out Patient Departments, Operating Theaters, and wards, starting August 16 until further notice. Doctors have been staging protests outside Guru Nanak Dev Hospital in Amritsar.
Strike in Kerala
The Kerala Medical Postgraduates Association (KMPGA), along with resident doctors associations of Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST), Regional Cancer Centre (RCC), Dental PG association, House Surgeons association, and student unions of various medical colleges, has called for a 24-hour strike in Kerala.
Silent Protests in Mumbai
Undergraduate and postgraduate medical, dental, and paramedical students have been carrying out silent protests inside the Nair Hospital premises in Mumbai, demanding safe and secure environments in government medical colleges and hospitals. Out Patient Department services have been shut down.
Protests in Tamil Nadu
Doctors at Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital in Trichy, Tamil Nadu, have been protesting by wearing black badges. Dr. Aruleeswaran from the Trichy Doctors Association stated, “To condemn the death of the female doctor at RG Kar Medical Hospital and College and to further ensure the safety of the medical personnel, we are holding this protest. We request the central government to conduct an enquiry in a proper way and punish the criminals as soon as possible. The medical professionals must be provided with two-tier security; this will also encourage more students to opt for medicines.”
Protests in Delhi
Junior doctors and medical students at RML Hospital in New Delhi staged a protest.
General Strike in Siliguri
The Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist) called for a 12-hour general strike in Siliguri, which disrupted normal life. Most shops in the city were closed since 6 pm on Thursday. Dr. Shahriar Alam, a member of SUCI (Communist), said, “Today this strike has a huge impact. People have spontaneously responded to our call and throughout Siliguri like the Medical College area, people have not taken out their vehicles, and they have not opened the shops. We can say that the impact is very good. We have called this strike to protest against the heinous incident at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.”
Doubts Revealed
Protest -: A protest is when people gather to show that they are unhappy about something and want it to change.
Trainee Doctor -: A trainee doctor is someone who is learning to become a doctor and is still in training.
Rape -: Rape is a very serious crime where someone is forced to have sex against their will. It’s a very bad thing and against the law.
Murder -: Murder is when someone is killed on purpose by another person. It’s a very serious crime.
RG Kar Medical College -: RG Kar Medical College is a big school in Kolkata where people learn to become doctors.
Kolkata -: Kolkata is a large city in India, known for its culture and history.
Non-essential services -: Non-essential services are things that are not urgently needed, like regular check-ups or routine treatments.
Amritsar -: Amritsar is a city in India, famous for the Golden Temple.
24-hour strike -: A 24-hour strike is when people stop working for one whole day to show they are unhappy about something.
Kerala -: Kerala is a state in the southern part of India, known for its beautiful backwaters and greenery.
Silent protests -: Silent protests are when people show they are unhappy without making any noise or shouting.
Mumbai -: Mumbai is a big city in India, known as the financial capital and for Bollywood movies.
Black badge protests -: Black badge protests are when people wear black badges to show they are unhappy about something.
Tamil Nadu -: Tamil Nadu is a state in the southern part of India, known for its temples and culture.
12-hour general strike -: A 12-hour general strike is when people stop working for half a day to show they are unhappy about something.
Siliguri -: Siliguri is a city in India, known as the gateway to the northeast.
Enquiry -: An enquiry is when people try to find out the truth about something by asking questions and investigating.
Enhanced security -: Enhanced security means making a place safer by adding more guards or safety measures.
Medical professionals -: Medical professionals are people who work in healthcare, like doctors and nurses.