IMA’s nationwide strike on August 17: What’s open and what’s closed as doctors protest the Kolkata rape-murder case?

Outrage over the horrific rape and murder of a doctor in Kolkata escalated on Friday as doctors called for a widespread shutdown of hospital services.

The Indian Medical Association (IMA), the country’s largest organization representing medical professionals, announced a nationwide strike beginning Saturday morning, August 17. This strike, anticipated to be the most significant in over a decade, will result in the closure of most hospital departments.

The protests were sparked by an incident on August 9, when a 31-year-old postgraduate trainee doctor was allegedly raped and murdered while on duty at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. This tragedy has led to widespread demonstrations and strikes by the medical community nationwide.

What will be open and closed during the nationwide doctors’ strike?

• The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has declared a nationwide strike starting at 6 a.m. on Saturday, August 17, and ending at 6 a.m. on Sunday, August 18.

• Most hospital departments will be closed throughout the weekend. Routine outpatient departments (OPDs) and elective surgeries will not be available.

• Essential services, including emergency care and critical treatments, will continue to operate as usual.
• Casualty services will remain available for any urgent medical needs.

• The strike will impact all sectors where modern medicine doctors work, affecting both public and private hospitals.

Medical Community Unites in Protest

• The Resident Doctors Association at Government Medical College, Amritsar, has decided to suspend all non-essential and elective hospital services, including outpatient departments (OPDs), operating theaters (OTs), and wards, starting August 16 until further notice.

• In Delhi, Resident Doctors’ Associations will hold a joint protest march on August 16, beginning at 2 p.m. from Nirman Bhavan in the National Capital.

• The Delhi Medical Association (DMA) is organizing a candlelight march at India Gate at 5 p.m. on August 16 to protest the tragic rape and murder incident.

• The Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) will stage a protest at Azad Maidan in Mumbai on August 16 in response to the same incident.

• The Socialist Unity Centre of India (Communist) has initiated a 12-hour general strike in Siliguri on August 16 in response to the tragic rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College. The strike has significantly disrupted daily life in the city, with most shops shutting down as early as 6 p.m. on Thursday.