Hyderabad: Doctors across the State are continuing their protest in response to the tragic rape and murder of a medical student from RG Kar Medical College. To express their outrage and demand justice, the doctors have called for a 24-hour boycott of outpatient (OP) services. This boycott will start at 6 am on Saturday and end at 6 am on Sunday. Some private hospitals have also decided to join the boycott by suspending their OP services on Saturday.
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has organized a protest at Dharna Chowk on Saturday. In support of this, the Telangana Junior Doctors Association (T-JUDA) held a large rally on Friday. The rally started from Osmania Medical College and ended at Osmania General Hospital. During the rally, around 1,000 doctors participated, raising slogans and holding placards to demand justice. Doctors from ESIC Hospital in Sanathnagar also staged a Rasta Roko (roadblock protest), which caused significant traffic congestion.
At Gandhi Hospital, doctors have continued their sit-in protest. One doctor expressed her frustration by saying she was protesting not just as a medical student but as a woman. She pointed out that despite the incident happening in a state known for great personalities like Ravindranath Tagore and Dr. BC Roy, no concrete steps have been taken even after seven days. She added that doctors often face undue pressure as they deal with severe cases, but they cannot save everyone.
Another protesting doctor highlighted the danger they face from patients’ relatives, who sometimes attack them when there’s a delay in treatment. He mentioned that during a strike two months ago, they had requested a police outpost at Gandhi Hospital, but it was never implemented. He also pointed out the lack of proper CCTV surveillance, both at Gandhi Hospital and RG Kar Medical College, which puts doctors at further risk.
In addition to public hospitals, private hospitals like Apollo, Yashoda, Star, and KIMS have also withdrawn non-emergency services and elective surgeries for one day on August 17. Meanwhile, the Telangana Government Nursing Officers have decided to wear black badges for one hour from 9 am to 10 am on Saturday to show their solidarity. The Telangana Government Doctors Association’s Osmania Unit will also be protesting by wearing black badges near Osmania General Hospital during the same time. The Telangana Nurses Association has requested permission to hold a three-day black ribbon protest from August 17 to 19.
