Healthcare services across India are disrupted due to a 24-hour strike by the Indian Medical Association (IMA), beginning at 6 am on Saturday. The strike protests the brutal rape-murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata.
Routine OPD services and elective surgeries are suspended, though emergency care continues. The Health Ministry has urged doctors to return, promising to establish a safety committee for healthcare workers.
Major cities, including Delhi, Jharkhand, and West Bengal, are heavily impacted. Protests and sit-ins are occurring in Chennai and Assam, with calls for increased hospital security and a central law to protect medical staff.
The strike follows student protests and accusations of mishandling and interference in the Kolkata case, now under investigation by the CBI, which has identified at least 30 suspects. The IMA’s demands include improved working conditions and heightened safety measures at hospitals.
