New Delhi: Doctors of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Resident Doctors’ Association (RDA), Indira Gandhi Hospital (IGH) and Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital (RML) decided on Thursday to call off their 11-day strike to protest the rape and murder of a Kolkata doctor at work.
The decision to end the strike came after an appeal from the Supreme Court, which also assured the protesting doctors that no adverse action would be taken against them upon resumption of duties.
Emergency services had continued throughout the strike, but routine outpatient department (OPD) services were halted since the protest began on August 12.
The incident that triggered nationwide protests among the medical community involved the brutal assault and murder of a junior doctor. Her body was discovered with severe injury marks on August 9 inside the seminar hall of a state-run hospital’s chest department in Kolkata. A civic volunteer was arrested by the Kolkata Police in connection with the case the day after the body was found.
Following the Supreme Court’s intervention, the AIIMS Resident Doctors’ Association (RDA) issued a statement saying, “We are resuming duties following the Supreme Court’s appeal and assurances and intervention in the RG Kar incident and safety for doctors. We commend the Court’s action and call for adherence to its directives. Patient care remains our top priority.”
Dr Indra Shekhar Prasad, RDA AIIMS Delhi president said, “We are doctors. We provide public service and we want to continue our main service. We never want to go on a strike. But the incident at RG Kar was so gruesome and it exposed the safety and security lapses in our health system. So, we had to go on a strike. This was not easy for us. Strike was more difficult for us than duty. But Supreme Court gave direction and formed a task force. We appreciate this and hope that there will be justice in RG Kar incident. We will resume our duties at the earliest.”
Meanwhile, RDA of RML Hospital issued a statement saying, “In view of the developments with respect to our demands, and our concerns being addressed by the Supreme Court, we hereby declare the strike to be withheld. We hereby have decided to resume all our duties. Recent mishappening at RG Kar Medical College highlighted the sorry state in which residents are working in our country. We have requested residents to resume services from 8 AM onwards, 23rd August.”
Soon after the announcement by RDAs of the other two Delhi hospitals, Indira Gandhi Hospital doctors followed suit.
