Pune: Resident doctors across Maharashtra have gone on an indefinite strike under the Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) to demand justice for a female doctor who was assaulted and murdered at a medical college in Kolkata.
The strike, which includes around 500 resident doctors from Pune's B.J. Medical College and Sassoon Hospital, began on Tuesday and has already led to disruptions in patient services, including the postponement of surgeries.
The protesting doctors are calling for the implementation of the Doctor Protection Act, increased security within hospitals, and particularly for female doctors. On the first day of the strike, doctors held protests within the B.J. Medical College premises, wearing black bands as a sign of dissent.
The hospital administration has been forced to assign clinical, para-clinical staff, and faculty members to cover the shortfall in doctors, with only 180 out of 566 resident doctors participating in the strike.
Hospital authorities have stated that measures are being taken to enhance security, including a review of existing CCTV coverage and the installation of additional cameras in blind spots.
Dr. Eknath Pawar, Dean of Sassoon Hospital, stated: "There is a need to ensure the safety of doctors across the country. The Kolkata incident should be investigated by the CBI, and the accused should be severely punished.
Doctors on duty need separate rooms, and there are insufficient CCTV cameras, which is why doctors in the ward are on strike. We will be holding a protest in front of the District Collector's office at 10 AM on Wednesday."
