THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : The doctors in the state have decided to boycott non-emergency services on Saturday to showcase their solidarity with the students who were protesting against the rape and murder of a medical student in Kolkata.
The protest will start at 6am on Saturday and end at 6am on Sunday.
The protest will affect the outpatient services while the emergency services and services of the in-patients will not be affected.
The doctors sought the support of the public for the protest and requested them to visit hospitals only for emergencies. The protesters have decided to exclude Wayanad considering the special situation there.
Kerala Medical Postgraduates Association started their protest by boycotting OP, wards and elective operation theatre duties on Friday.
The Kerala Chapter of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) will lead the protest which has the support of other organisations of the doctors including Kerala Government Medical Officers Association (KGMOA), Kerala Government Medical College Teachers Association (KGMCTA), Kerala Government Insurance Medical Officers Association (KGIMOA), Kerala Medical Postgraduates Association (KMPGA), House Surgeons Association, RCC Doctors Association, and Sree Chitra Doctors Association.
Besides demanding speedier justice for the victim’s family, the doctors demanded the Central Government that safety measures should be put in place in health facilities and that the Code Grey protocol should be implemented to prevent attacks against doctors in hospitals. IMA state president Dr Joseph Benaven will inaugurate the state-level protest meeting in front of the Government Medical College in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday at 9am.