Indian Medical Association declares nationwide strike on June 17

Intensifying its war against the Mamata Banerjee regime, country's leading doctors' body (Indian Medical Association) today has called for a nationwide strike on June 17. This comes after the body declared "All India Protest Day" on Friday and expressed solidarity with the striking doctors.

The junior doctors' strike in West Bengal, on since Tuesday, has hit services in the state's government-run hospitals. Over the last four days, services have been affected in emergency wards, outdoor facilities and pathological units of many state-run hospitals.

The protests have snowballed after Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee refused to acknowledge the protests in Kolkata’s NRS Medical College and Hospital and threatened the doctors with severe action if they didn’t end the agitation at once.


It all began when when a 75-year-old patient at Kolkata’s NRS hospital died and his family alleged medical negligence. The family, accompanied by a 200-strong mob barged into the hospital and critically injured one of the doctors. Doctors have since been demanding action against the culprits and police protection for all doctors.