Healthcare services across the nation were paralysed as doctors and other medical workers from the Government, private, and even corporate hospitals went on a 24-hour strike starting at 6 am on Saturday, leading to the shutdown of OPDs, elective surgeries, and IPD services.
The strike — called to protest rape and murder of a trainee doctor at a State-run hospital in Kolkata last week — caused significant disruption, with hospitals across the national Capital turning away patients, particularly those from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. While many sympathised with the cause, they struggled to receive necessary medical treatment.
The Indian Medical Association (IMA), which represents over 4 lakh medical professionals nationwide, called for the strike after resident and junior doctors, along with medical students, ceased work for six consecutive days and took to the street to protest the August 9 incident.
As senior doctors also joined the strike, medical services were hit hard in many States, severely impacting primarily poor patients who had traveled long distances from across the country to access care at centrally run facilities like AIIMS, Safdarjung Hospital, and Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital.
A 60-year-old heart patient who had come to AIIMS for an OPD visit expressed his frustration and said, “I had an appointment for a routine checkup today, but it was cancelled due to the strike. I understand the doctors’ concerns, but we haven’t done anything wrong. I hope the strike ends soon.”
Relatives of another patient echoed similar sentiment, acknowledging the tragedy in Kolkata but emphasising that the strike had severely affected them. They had travelled from Rajasthan to Delhi seeking treatment for their uncle, as they believed the best healthcare services were available in the Capital.
In display of solidarity and demanding a Central Protection Act, doctors across the Capital also marched towards Jantar Mantar, despite resistance from Delhi Police, who tried to prevent the demonstration from disrupting public life.
Nurses too joined the protest, holding a sit-in to show their solidarity and outrage over the West Bengal tragedy. Dr Arpit, a protesting doctor who participated in the march to Jantar Mantar, said, “Our demands are clear. We don’t want another incident like the one in West Bengal. The Government must finalise the Central Protection Act. This is not about politics; it’s about justice and safety.”
Echoing his concerns, Dr Aakansha added, “We won’t be able to work without the assurance of our safety. The government needs to wake up. How many more incidents will it take before they act?”
As the protest continued, the doctors’ chants for justice reverberated through the capital. Dr. S.K. Poddar, another doctor participating in the strike, remarked, “The tragedy in West Bengal is deeply troubling. The main suspect has yet to be apprehended, and there is no clear update on the investigation’s progress. This is unacceptable.”
Dr. Jyoti Sharma highlighted the frustration within the medical community. “The IMA’s call for a 24-hour strike reflects our frustration with the lack of progress on our demands. The Central Protection Act, which was introduced in Parliament eight years ago, has been stalled. We are demanding justice for the victim and protection for all healthcare workers,” she said.
The nationwide demand by united modern medicine doctors, including associations of surgeons, dental, diagnostics, radiologists, and even psychologists, for a central protection act to safeguard healthcare workers from violence forced the centre to announce that they would constitute a committee to suggest all such possible measures for ensuring the safety of healthcare professions. “Representatives of all stakeholders, including the state government, will be invited to share their suggestions with the committee,” the Union Health Ministry said in a statement.
Further, even private hospitals in Delhi joined the protest alongside government hospitals making things worse for patients who had relied on such hospitals for elective services as government shut their operation except the emergency services with hospitals like Sir Ganga Ram, Fortis and Apollo have halted their OPD, elective surgeries and IPD services. Dr Ajay Swaroop, chairman of the Board of Management at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, said, “We have declared a complete shutdown of OPD, elective OTs and IPD work. Unfortunately, I believe that protests and discontinuation of duties have now become necessary to pressure the authorities and expedite the investigation process, so that justice is not delayed. We will continue to fully support the agitation until concrete changes are made to address the safety and security concerns of all cadres of workers in the health service.”
Fortis Hospitals, in a statement, said, “We are deeply saddened and shocked by the horrific incident in Kolkata. Such acts of violence, particularly against those who dedicate their lives to healing others, are deplorable and call for swift justice. At Fortis Hospitals, we stand in solidarity with the Indian Medical Association and the wider medical community in condemning this act. We respect the sentiments of our doctors and will support those who wish to participate in the nationwide shutdown. Essential services will continue to be provided to ensure that patient care is not compromised.”
Resident doctors from all major hospitals in Delhi have been protesting, taking out marches and holding candlelight vigils demanding justice for the Kolkata victim and over safety concerns. Earlier, doctors from private hospitals also protested by wearing black bands on their arms.
OPDs at the Apollo Hospital are shut and only emergency services are being provided, according to sources at the facility. “Apollo has also joined the protest,” a source said.
