NEW DELHI: Thousands of junior doctors and medical students across India observed a 12-hour-long hunger strike on Tuesday to express their solidarity with the junior doctors of West Bengal, who have been on a hunger strike since October 5.
The nationwide hunger strike call was given by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) junior doctors wing to support the demand of the striking doctors in West Bengal, who have been protesting the brutal rape and murder of a trainee doctor in the state-run Kolkata hospital on August 9.
Speaking with this paper, Dr R V Asokan, National President, IMA, said only junior doctors are on hunger strike and no work has been disrupted.
“Following our call, junior doctors in all the states are fasting to extend solidarity with the West Bengal Junior Doctors Front who has been fasting unto death. IMA is giving logistical support to all the junior doctors who are fasting nationwide today. The striking doctors in West Bengal are in critical condition. Five are in the ICU. It’s a symbolic fasting by junior doctors,” he added.
The IMA has pitched the slogan "Suno Bengal, Suno Bharat" to resonate and amplify the demands of the striking junior medicos.
He said it has been over 10 days since the junior doctors' fast began after 50 days of ‘cease-work’ in two phases calling for justice for the victim and better safety for doctors.
The doctors in West Bengal were first observing hunger strike, which soon turned to fast unto death after the state government failed to resolve their issues.
The Federation of All India Medical Associations (FAIMA) has also warned of a nationwide "complete shutdown of medical services" if any harm is caused to the protesting junior doctors.
The IMA, which has over four lakh doctors as members, said in a statement that the IMA Junior Doctors Network supported by IMA Medical Students Network has organised fasting in solidarity with the West Bengal Junior Doctors Front on Tuesday all across the country.
“The government of West Bengal has been reluctant to concede their 10 demands which are eminently doable. The entire medical fraternity identifies itself with the young resident doctors who are on fast. The basic issue remains the safety and security of doctors and healthcare workers in the hospitals.”
“Very little changes have happened in the ambiance of hospitals even after the RG Kar issue,” the statement added.
“Reports are emerging from the medical colleges across the country of fasting and protest by junior doctors and medical students,” said the statement by Dr Asokan and Dr Anilkumar J Nayak, Honorary Secretary General.
They appealed to the West Bengal government to accept the demands of the fasting resident doctors.
“The voice of the medical fraternity, especially the young resident doctors and the medical students of the nation should be heard," the statement said.