Doctors Nationwide Boycott Services in Solidarity with West Bengal Colleagues

The Federation of All India Medical Associations (FAIMA) has declared a nationwide boycott of elective medical services, commencing on October 14, 2024. This decision comes in support of doctors in West Bengal who are protesting the tragic rape and murder of a trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College. The protests have persisted for over 65 days, calling attention to the urgent need for safer working conditions and criticizing the West Bengal government’s inaction regarding doctors who are currently on an indefinite hunger strike.

FAIMA is actively encouraging medical associations and resident doctors across the country to participate in this boycott, emphasizing the necessity for improved safety measures for healthcare professionals both in West Bengal and throughout India. Union Minister Sukanta Majumdar has urged BJP workers and the public in West Bengal to back the doctors’ protest, condemning the state government for failing to uphold its commitments to the medical community.

In a significant display of solidarity, approximately 50 senior doctors and faculty members from RG Kar Medical College have resigned to support their junior colleagues on hunger strike. The ongoing protest aims to confront the rising violence against doctors and advocate for their safety and well-being in the workplace.