Kolkata Rape-Murder Case: Medical Services Hit As Junior Doctors Go On Strike In Madhya Pradesh; Some Attend Only Emergency Cases (WATCH)

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Tens of thousands of junior doctors across India came to streets to register protest against the horrific rape and murder case of a doctor in Kolkata on August 8. The strike has caused disruptions in healthcare services at most government hospitals as JUDA (Junior doctors' association) have announced indefinite strike.

Expressing solidarity with their peers, junior doctors and interns across Madhya Pradesh have joined the protests, disrupting medical and healthcare services.

Protests across Madhya Pradesh

Over 250 junior doctors at Hamidia Hospital announced the strike in state capital Bhopal on Thursday, following the lead by AIIMS-Bhopal.

Where as in Indore, junior doctors are attending only emergency cases today. Meanwhile, doctors in Jabalpur, Chhindwara, Gwalior, and Ratlam, members of the Indian Medical Association, are showing their support by wearing black armbands.

At Khandwa Medical College Hospital, junior doctors also held a protest to reiterate their demands. The doctors expressed their frustration, stating, "For the first time in the country, we are forced to protest for our safety." They called for the swift implementation of the Central Protection Act to ensure the security of medical professionals.

The strike has caused disruptions in healthcare services at most government hospitals. Long lines of patients are forming for treatment, and pathology tests are not being conducted, leaving many families frustrated and concerned.

In response to the strike, Dr. Kavita N. Singh, Dean of Gandhi Medical College (GMC) in Bhopal, has canceled all doctor leaves and issued orders for them to be on duty 24/7.

She has instructed department heads to assign medical teachers to the emergency department, outpatient department (OPD), operation theaters, and wards.

Medical interns are also being considered for deployment if needed. All department professors have been asked to report on the implementation of these measures.