Doctors' Nationwide Strike on August 17-18 Amid Kolkata Tragedy

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) announced a nationwide 24-hour strike by modern medicine doctors from August 17, 6 am to August 18, 6 am, following the rape-murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata. Essential services will continue, while routine OPDs and elective surgeries will be paused.

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) announced a nationwide 24-hour strike by modern medicine doctors from 6 am on Saturday, August 17, to 6 am Sunday, August 18. This decision comes in response to the ongoing protests in Kolkata over the rape-murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College.

According to the IMA, routine OPDs and elective surgeries will be suspended during the strike, though essential services will remain operational. The IMA expressed the need for public empathy towards the doctors' cause. 'All essential services will be maintained. Casualties will be manned. Routine OPDs will not function and elective surgeries will not be conducted,' the statement read.

Simultaneously, the Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) announced a protest at Azad Maidan in Mumbai on August 16. 'To voice our protest against these acts, we are organizing a peaceful protest at Azad Maidan,' MARD stated, urging medical colleagues and associations to join.

In addition, members of the Bengali film and television industry joined the protests at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital. The trainee doctor's tragic death led to nationwide strikes and demonstrations by the medical community. On Wednesday, protests at the college grew violent, prompting security personnel to disperse the crowd.

(With inputs from agencies.)