Medical associations demand action after Kolkata doctor’s rape and murder

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) and the Association of Medical Consultants (AMC) have condemned the rape and murder of Moumita Debnath, a second-year postgraduate resident doctor at RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata. This incident, which occurred in the college’s seminar hall, has sent shockwaves through the medical community and highlighted severe security concerns within healthcare institutions.

In response to this tragic crime, the IMA has issued a strong demand for an impartial investigation and swift punishment of those responsible. They have also called for a thorough inquiry into the conditions that allowed such a crime to occur, emphasising the need for urgent improvements in the safety and security of healthcare workers, particularly women. The IMA emphasised that the administration’s failure to ensure safety within the “citadels of learning” points to incompetence and negligence on their part.

The AMC had announced a nationwide strike in response to the Kolkata doctor’s rape and murder. From 6 AM on Saturday, 17th August 2024, to 6 AM on Sunday, 18th August 2024, doctors across the country withdrew their services, except for essential operations and casualty wards. Routine outpatient services and elective surgeries were postponed as part of this protest.

The IMA and AMC are urging the authorities to take immediate action, warning that a failure to address these concerns will lead to further nationwide protests.