New Delhi, June 14: The Indian Medical Association (IMA) on Friday announced to hold a three-day protest culminating with a nationwide strike on June 17 to express solidarity with their protesting colleagues in West Bengal. Doctors in West Bengal have been on strike since Tuesday after two of their colleagues were assaulted at the Nil Ratan Sircar Medical College and Hospital allegedly by relatives of a patient who died late Monday night due to alleged negligence.

The IMA will hold a nationwide strike of medical professionals and doctors to protest on the issue. Healthcare services across the country will be affected as the IMA is one of the largest association of doctors. Patients at government-run and private hospitals will bear the brunt of the likely nationwide shutdown of medical facilities. Patients Suffer As Nationwide Agitation Cripples Medical Services Across India.

On Friday, doctors at several government-run hospitals across the country staged protests and refused to come on duty. In West Bengal, doctors of four Medical colleges submitted mass resignations. In a letter to the Director of Medical Education and Ex-officio Secretary, more than 70 doctors of RG Kar Medical College submitted their resignations.

Also, nearly 100 doctors of the NRS Medical College and Hospital - the epicentre of the protests are also opting for resignation, an official revealed. In a similar letter to the Director of Medical Education, 17 doctors of Medicine Department of Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital have put their papers down. They too cited the same reason that they are unable to provide services in the present situation. Principal, Vice Principal of NRS Medical College Resign as Doctors' Strike Continues.

A similar picture was noticed in North Bengal Medical College and Hospital in Siliguri. "Already 15 senior doctors have submitted their resignation to Director of Medical Education and this figure may rise. It is not possible to carry on the services normally without the junior doctors," Sudipta Mandal, Assistant Superintendent of North Bengal Medical College and Hospital said.

The strike turned into a nationwide protest with doctors and nurses of Delhi, Maharashtra, Kerala, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Bihar, Chhattisgarh and Northeastern states joining the stir in solidarity to the agitating doctors in West Bengal. (With agency inputs)

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Jun 14, 2019 04:58 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).