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By Ezekiel David
For the sixth day in a row, junior doctors throughout India went on strike on Monday, calling for increased safety precautions and justice in the wake of a fellow doctor’s savage rape and murder. Hospital services have been negatively hampered by the protest, as medics are refusing to see non-emergency patients.
The horrifying death of a 31-year-old resident physician on August 9th served as the impetus for the strike. According to police sources, she was killed at the R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata after being raped. The crime has been linked to and arrested a volunteer police officer.
Despite stricter rules passed in the wake of the infamous Delhi gang rape case in 2012, sexual assault against women in India continues to be a danger, as demonstrated by this tragedy. Women’s rights advocates contend that this most recent episode shows how vulnerable women are, especially in places like hospitals that are meant to be protected.
While the government has urged doctors to return to work, promising the formation of a committee to address safety concerns, the strike shows no signs of abating.
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“Our indefinite cease-work and sit-in will continue till our demands are met,” declared Dr. Aniket Mahata, a spokesperson for the protesting doctors at the Kolkata hospital where the murder occurred.
Solidarity demonstrations have sprung up all throughout the country. Thousands of fans of two significant football teams in Kolkata marched through the streets, calling for justice. Gujarat, New Delhi, and Odisha junior doctor groups have all promised to carry on with their demonstrations.
India’s healthcare system has been impacted by the strike. But the problem is much broader than just the medical field. Global economic ramifications of the problem were emphasized by the IMF’s deputy managing director, Gita Gopinath.
“One cannot raise that (female participation) without ensuring safety at the workplace and safety of women in getting to the workplace. That is absolutely critical,” Gopinath stressed, emphasizing the link between women’s safety and India’s economic growth.
(Source: Reuters)
