Around 20,000 resident doctors from government hospitals in the national capital will go on strike on Monday demanding a central law to protect those in the medical profession.
The call for the strike was given by the Indian Medical Association (IMA), a representative body for doctors.The Resident Doctor’s Association of AIIMS, however, has withdrawn its strike and decided to function as usual for now. According to a press release on Sunday evening, the RDA will hold a protest march from 8 to 9 am on Monday following which the doctors shall resume duties.
Private hospital doctors were yet to confirm participation.
The strike is likely to hit outpatient clinics and other routine services (like diagnostics). Emergency services, however, won’t be affected, doctors assured.
The strike is a fallout of an assault by relatives of a patient on doctors at a government hospital in West Bengal after the patient died during treatment last week Monday. The incident sparked protests from doctors across the country. While Kolkata doctors went on strike from Tuesday, resident doctors from AIIMS and Safdarjung on Thursday worked with a bandage on head and wearing helmets as part of the protest
The incident sparked protests from doctors across the country. While Kolkata doctors went on strike from Tuesday, resident doctors from AIIMS and Safdarjung on Thursday worked with a bandage on head and wearing helmets as part of the protest
The doctors are demanding a central law to protect doctors, along with immediate provisions for safety for doctors in West Bengal as well as other parts of the country.
Delhi government hospitals together see around 50,000 patients in their outpatient clinics every day. Nearly 40% patients are from outside Delhi. Hundreds of scheduled surgeries in the hospitals are also likely to be cancelled.
Services will run only in the Emergency ward and operation theatre, the wards, and the intensive care units.
“All doctors, around 15,000 associated with Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA) will go on a strike tomorrow (Monday). Routine services will be affected, but we will ensure that all emergency services are running,” said Dr Sumedh Sandanshiv, president of the resident doctors’ association.
Members of FORDA had gone on a strike on Saturday and decided to continue the protest on Monday after the Indian Medical Association (IMA) gave a call for nationwide strike.
The IMA on Sunday called for a withdrawal of non-essential services across the country on June 17 demanding a comprehensive law for dealing with violence against doctors and other healthcare workers.
On Friday, hospitals like Sir Ganga Ram that has over 600 beds closed their out-patient clinics on a strike call from the Delhi Medical Association.
Doctors from AIIMS and Safdarjung, who had gone on a strike on Friday, had given a 48-hour deadline to the West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee to meet the demands of the striking doctors from the state.
About 3,500 doctors from the two hospitals are likely to strike work tomorrow as well.
Union health minister Dr Harsh Vardhan had written to the chief ministers of all the states requesting them to enact specific legislations for protecting doctors and medical professionals and forwarded a draft act prepared by the IMA.
“Resident doctors in many parts of the country are agitating and not providing healthcare services. Agitations by doctors in West Bengal seem to be getting aggravated and taking shape of strike by both Government and Private sector doctors, all over the country,” he said in the letter.
First Published: Jun 17, 2019 07:58 IST
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