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"I don't want to be the next victim", read placards carried by several women medics who were part of a march in New Delhi on Saturday to protest against the alleged rape and murder of a trainee doctor at a state-run hospital in Kolkata last week.
Hundreds of medics, including doctors and resident doctors, wearing stethoscopes over their white aprons, started their march from the Lady Hardinge Medical College on the sixth day of their agitation over the incident and to press for their demands such as a central law to check violence against healthcare personnel.
On reaching Connaught Place, they held an around 25-minute sit-in, before police removed barricades and allowed them to proceed to the Jantar Mantar for the next phase of their demonstration -- a candle light march.
Non-emergency services, such as OPD and diagnostics, and elective surgeries at city-based health facilities, including at Centre-run AIIMS, Safdarjung hospital and RML hospital, are hit since Monday.
Inconvenience of patients further increased as personnel of private institutions such as Sir Ganga Ram, Fortis, and Apollo also joined protests on Sunday following a call by apex doctors' body Indian Medical Association (IMA) for a 24-hour nationwide withdrawal of non-emergency services.
A patient from Uttar Pradesh's Kanpur, who had an appointment at the GTB Hospital here, said, "I came to the Hospital on Tuesday but was told that doctors were on strike. It has been more than five days since doctors ceased work. I am going back as there is no point waiting."
Sarjeena, who contracted an infection a few months after her delivery, came to the hospital for a check-up but was told that "only emergency patients are being treated".
At the Jantar Mantar, medics took out a candle light march and raised slogans such as "We want justice," "Hang the rapist" and "We want protection."
Earlier in the day, doctors at the Safdarjung and RML held a silent protest march, sporting black ribbons.
"As you are aware, in light of the heinous incident that occurred at the R G Kar Medical College, Kolkata, involving a resident doctor, the residents of our institute are on strike, demanding the urgent implementation of a 'Central Protection Act' to ensure a safe environment for practising doctors," the Faculty Association of AIIMS (FAIMS) said in a communication to the AIIMS-Delhi director.
The IMA on Saturday sought the intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the implementation of its demands -- a thorough overhaul of the working and living conditions of resident doctors, a central law to check violence against healthcare personnel at workplaces, declaration of hospitals as safe zones with the first step being mandatory security entitlements, meticulous and professional investigation of the last week incident in Kolkata, and an appropriate and dignified compensation to the bereaved family.
The Union health ministry on Saturday released an official statement and said a committee will be formed to suggest all possible measures for ensuring the safety of healthcare professionals.
Representatives of all stakeholders, including the state governments, will be invited to share their suggestions with the committee, it added.
The ministry has requested the doctors agitating across the country to resume their duties in the larger public interest and in view of the rising number of dengue and malaria cases.
Responding to the ministry's statement, AIIMS Resident Doctors' Association (RDA) said the statement lacks confidence and trust.
It said similar committees have been formed in the past without any significant progress or the passage of relevant legislation.
"It was decided unanimously to continue the strike as our demands remain unaddressed. This includes halting academic activities, elective OPDs, ward, and OT services, while maintaining emergency services, ICUs, emergency procedures, and emergency OT," the RDA said in a statement.