In a nationwide show of solidarity, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) Junior Doctors Network, along with the IMA Medical Students Network, organized a "Down to Dusk" fasting protest on Wednesday. 

This coordinated action supports the West Bengal Junior Doctors Front, where several young resident doctors in Kolkata have resorted to a Fast unto Death, demanding better working conditions and security in hospitals. The situation has turned critical, with five doctors already transferred to intensive care units (ICUs) as their health deteriorates.

The West Bengal government has yet to address the doctors' ten demands, which the medical community believes are reasonable and achievable. 

The demands primarily focus on improving safety and security measures for doctors and healthcare workers in hospitals, a long-standing issue that has not been adequately addressed, even after the recent RG Kar Medical College controversy.

As fasting and protests spread to medical colleges across the country, junior doctors and medical students alike have joined the call for action. The medical fraternity has thrown its full weight behind the protesting resident doctors, emphasizing that their concerns must be taken seriously. "The voice of the medical fraternity, especially the young resident doctors and medical students, needs to be heard," said a representative of the IMA Junior Doctors Network.

The protests come after repeated incidents of violence and insecurity faced by healthcare workers in hospitals. Despite promises from authorities, little progress has been made to ensure their safety. The doctors' demands aim to address these critical concerns, which include better security protocols, improved working conditions, and the assurance of a safer environment for both healthcare professionals and patients.

As tensions rise, the Indian Medical Association’s Action Committee is set to meet shortly to determine the next steps in the escalating standoff. 

With the health of protesting doctors in a precarious state and public healthcare services potentially at risk, the outcome of these protests could have far-reaching consequences for the medical community across India.

The IMA has appealed to the West Bengal government to swiftly address the doctors' demands, warning that further delays could exacerbate the crisis. "The government must act now," said an IMA official, stressing that doctors and medical students nationwide stand united in their cause.