BJP’s Rajya Sabha tally dips to 86; NDA holds 101 MPs - 12 below majority mark of 113

New Delhi: Healthcare services have been hit across the nation as doctors responded to the Indian Medical Association's (IMA) call for a 24-hour withdrawal of medical services from 6 am on Saturday till Sunday.

Amid growing protests over the gruesome rape-murder of a trainee doctor at a Kolkata hospital, The IMA has called for a nationwide strike during which routine OPD services and elective surgeries will not be conducted. However, all emergency services will be functional.

The Health Ministry has requested the agitating doctors to resume their duties in the public interest and assured them that a committee would be set up to ensure the safety of healthcare professionals. Representatives of all stakeholders including state governments have been invited to share their suggestions with the committee. 

OPD services at major Delhi hospitals remain suspended as doctors at Guru Teg Bahadur, Ram Manohar Lohia and DDU hospitals along with AIIMS continue their protest.

In Jharkhand, all government and private hospitals are taking part in the strike, IMA said. Multiple medical organisations have also planned to take out a march in Ranchi later in the day. A sit-in protest by doctors is on at Assam Medical College and Hospital, the oldest medical college in the Northeast.

In Chennai, doctors have organised a boycott protest while outpatient departments of both government and private hospitals have been affected across West Bengal.

The IMA's Chandigarh unit has suspended OPD services and will conduct a protest march. In Bengaluru, over 1,000 doctors will participate in a protest at the IMA office.

IMA, the largest organisation of doctors in India, has demanded an overhaul of the working and living conditions of resident doctors, including 36-hour shifts and safe places to rest. It sought a central law to prevent violence against medical professionals at workplaces.

In its statement, the IMA has put forth a list of demands to ensure that security protocols of hospitals "be no less than (that of) an airport". Hospitals should be declared as safe zones with CCTVs and higher deployment of security personnel, it said.

The nationwide strike comes a day after medical students across Indian cities conducted protest marches and staged dharnas against the alleged inaction over the horrific rape-murder that has sent shockwaves across the country.

Protesting doctors at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital, where the horrific crime took place, have accused the police of mishandling the case and the ruling Trinamool Congress government of trying to destroy evidence to shield the accused.

The case is now being investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) under an order from the Calcutta High Court. "We have identified at least 30 suspects and have started questioning them," a CBI officer said on Friday.

Mangaluru: KMC Hospital, Dr BR Ambedkar Circle, successfully treated a Vietnamese chef who suffered a severe heart attack shortly after his ship docked in Mangaluru. 

The 39-year-old crew member, part of a vessel with a 19-member crew, was initially administered first aid at a local hospital, before being transferred to KMC Hospital the following day.

Unfortunately, the patient experienced a re-infarction during the night, necessitating an urgent rescue angioplasty. The emergency procedure was expertly performed by a dedicated medical team led by Dr Padmanabh Kamath, senior interventional cardiologist at KMC Hospital, along with the skilled anaesthesia team, including Dr Aishwarya and Dr Lavanya, on Aug 18.

“We were faced with a critical situation, but thanks to the swift action of our team and the advanced facilities, we were able to stabilise the patient and successfully perform the angioplasty. The patient is now out of danger and is recovering well in the ICU,” said Dr Padmanabh Kamath.

He appreciated the tremendous support received from Sai Sharan Kottari, partner of ETA Logistics and Shipping, towards ensuring good care of the patient and facilitating the required statutory compliance. He also thanked the support of the officials of New Mangalore Port, immigration, customs and health, and Dr Puthran and Dr Ashith D Shettian.

Mysuru: Karnataka chief minister Siddaramaiah said Saturday that probe into some of the alleged scams are underway and he will speak on them once the investigation report comes to him.

The Congress veteran said he was overwhelmed at the success of the Janandolana held in Mysuru on Friday.

The Janandolan in the chief minister's home district was in support of him and to counter the opposition’s allegations and their foot march. Asked about opposition leaders' claim that they will continue their fight until the CM resigns, Siddaramaiah said, "Will I fear such things, will I bow down to such things? If they indulge in false propaganda. People will suppress their agitations that are with false allegations, on getting to know the truth."

The CM also visited Sri Chamundeshwari Devi temple atop the Chamundi Hills after a long time to mark Shravana Shanivara. Last year he has visited the temple in August to make the goddess the first beneficiary of Gruhalakshmi scheme, one of the five guarantees of the Congress government.

Attacking the BJP in the state, Siddaramaiah said he knows what the saffron party state president B Y Vijayendra, his father and former CM B S Yediyurappa, Union Minister H D Kumaraswamy and Opposition Leader R Ashoka have done. “There are some more scams to be unearthed,” he added.

The BJP-JD(S) are scheduled to conclude their protest march on Saturday in Mysuru city. The final day of the 'Mysuru Chalo' protest march began at Ramaswamy circle here today and will culminate at Maharaja’s College Grounds, where a valedictory rally is organised.

To a question on the opposition’s allegations against him, Siddaramaiah said, he will tackle them politically and legally. Describing the allegation against him as ‘false’, he said, "I have spoken on a few issues in the Janandolan and will present some more issues before the people shortly."

Speaking on the Janandolana, the CM said, "It was held to counter the opposition’s padayatra, to counter their false allegations. It was held, to tell the truth to the people. The BJP-JD(S) alliance is trying to project me in bad light. They are trying to weaken the democratically-elected government in Karnataka. They think that they will be politically benefited, if they defame me. They are involved in various scams. I will expose them all, and initiate action against them."