Nationwide Protest by Doctors Over Safety Crisis

Doctors across India went on a nationwide strike to demand a central law ensuring their safety, following the alleged rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata. Despite the government's promise to form a panel for safety measures, healthcare services remained disrupted, with doctors calling for concrete legal protections.

In response to the alleged rape and murder of a female trainee doctor in Kolkata, healthcare professionals across India initiated a nationwide strike demanding a central law for their safety. Despite the government's assurance to establish a panel for suggesting safety measures, medics remained firm on their demands, causing widespread disruption to healthcare services.

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) led the 24-hour strike, urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to support five key demands, including hospital security and a central law to counteract violence against healthcare personnel. Doctors in various states, including Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Maharashtra, and Haryana, have been protesting continuously since Monday.

Although the Union Health Ministry has urged doctors to resume duties due to a rise in dengue and malaria cases, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Resident Doctors' Association expressed distrust in the government's panel, citing past failures in enacting effective legislation. Healthcare services, except for emergency responses, remain halted across major hospitals nationwide.