Doctors resume strike in India over ‘lack of action’ following rape case

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Protesting junior doctors in India have resumed their indefinite strike demanding better security for healthcare professionals following the rape and killing of a resident doctor at a prominent state-run hospital.

The protests erupted after a trainee doctor, 31, was found dead on 9 August at the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, the capital of the eastern state of West Bengal, during her 32-hour work shift. An autopsy confirmed sexual assault.

Thousands of people have staged protests every day in Kolkata since the murder demanding justice and better safety for healthcare workers. Doctors across the country joined the walkout, while smaller protests erupted in parts of India and other cities across the world.

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The West Bengal Junior Doctors Association on Tuesday placed a 10-fold demand in the front of the state government, calling for justice for the victim and better safety for doctors, as they announced resumption of their strike.

The junior doctors had rejoined their duties at government hospitals in September after 42 days of cease-work protests.

"We do not see any positive approach from the state government to fulfill our demands for safety and security. Today is the 52nd day of the protest and we are still being attacked," Aniket Mahato, one of the agitating junior doctors, told PTI news agency.

The announcement was made just days after doctors and nurses at another state-run hospital were assaulted by relatives of a patient after she died during treatment. At least six on-duty doctors and nurses were assaulted by a mob of around two dozen people following the 30-year-old patient’s death, the doctors alleged.

"Unless we see clear action from the state government on these demands, the 'cease work' will continue," Mr Mahato added.

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Other demands included appointing a new health secretary, creating task forces in medical colleges, deploying more women police in hospitals and investigating corruption in medical councils and recruitment boards.

The strike disrupted hospitals across the state, forcing patients to return from the emergency wards. The state health department said the senior doctors have been pressed into the inpatient and outpatient departments to compensate for the striking juniors.

The junior doctors also expressed their dissatisfaction over the Central Bureau of Investigation's (CBI) “slow" probe into the rape and murder. The case was handed over to the federal investigative agency for transparency after the Kolkata police arrested a civic volunteer associated with the city police.

“We have seen many times before that the CBI has been unable to reach any conclusions, allowing the real culprits of such incidents to go free due to delays in filing charges,” the junior doctors forum said.

The medicos have called for a massive protest rally in Kolkata on Wednesday that coincided with the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi and the beginning of the 10-day-long Hindu festival of Durga Puja.