The decision came following the vandalism at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, where the trainee doctor was raped and murdered.
Following the brutal and violent vandalism by a mob at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital during the midnight protest this week, the Indian Medical Association has announced a 24-hour nationwide withdrawal of non-emergency services from 6 am on August 17.
The IMA issued a press release late Thursday, noting that essential services and casualty wards would continue to function amid the closure of non-emergency services.
Out-patient departments (OPD) will not function and elective surgeries will not be conducted. The withdrawal is across all sectors wherever modern medicine doctors are providing services, the medical body said.
"Subsequent to the brutal crime in R G Kar Medical College, Kolkata, and the hooliganism unleashed on the protesting students on the eve of Independence Day (Wednesday night), the Indian Medical Association declares nationwide withdrawal of services by doctors of modern medicine from 6 am on Saturday 17.08.2024 to 6 am Sunday 18.08.2024 for 24 hours," the statement said.
"Doctors, especially women, are vulnerable to violence because of the nature of the profession. It is for authorities to provide for the safety of doctors inside hospitals and campuses. Both physical assaults and crimes are a result of indifference and insensitivity of the authorities concerned to the needs of doctors, nurses and other healthcare workers," it said.
The decision to shut down the non-emergency services for 24 hours came after the state branches of the IMA held a meeting.
The medical body strongly condemned the vandalism that took place at the state-run hospital where a 31-year-old trainee doctor was raped and murder last week.
Earlier in the day, the medical association had said, "Authorities, who by their negligence had allowed such a heinous crime to happen, have once again failed to maintain law and order when an all-important CBI investigation is going on."
They said that such acts of vandalism point to anarchy and the broken law and order situation. "The IMA condemns this mindless violence and is apprehensive of loss of crucial evidence," it added.
As per Kolkata Police, as many as 40 people, hiding behind the mask of 'protesters', stormed the hospital premises, entered the Emergency department and vandalised the property.
They reportedly pelted stones on police personnel and prompted forces to use tear gas to disperse the crowd.
Police noted that the miscreants carrying sticks, bricks and rods, vandalised the Emergency Ward, its nursing stations and medicine store, besides a section of the Out Patients Department (OPD) at the hospital.
Several CCTV cameras installed in and around the area were also destroyed. A police vehicle was overturned and several two-wheelers were damaged by the mob of hooligans.
Notably, the rape and murder case of the trainee doctor is now being probed by a 25-member special team of the Central Bureau of Investigation.
On the other hand, the Federation of Resident Doctors' Association (FORDA) on Thursday decided to resume its strike following the vandalism at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital.
"The events that have unfolded since, particularly the violence last night, have shocked and anguished us all. This represents a dark chapter for our profession," FORDA said in a statement, reaffirming its unwavering solidarity with fellow resident doctors.
"Given the gravity of recent developments and the overwhelming call for justice, we have decided to resume the strike, effective immediately," it said.