The director of AIIMS New Delhi, Dr. M. Srinivas, has demanded that the protesting staff members return to work immediately in response to the resident doctors’ ongoing strike. The nine-day strike was called in response to the recent rape and killing of a female doctor at Kolkata’s R G Kar Medical College, raising questions about the safety of medical personnel.
Dr. Srinivas wrote to the Resident Doctors Association (RDA) stating that he was fully in favor of improving safety for all medical professionals, not just at AIIMS but across the country as well. While he recognized the urgent necessity for enhanced security measures, he underlined that doctors’ main duty is to guarantee that patients receive care without interruption. He emphasized that the strike has had a significant negative influence on patient services at AIIMS, resulting in reduced diagnostic services, postponed surgeries, and restricted outpatient services. Follow-up care and critical cases are currently handled by faculty members and consultants; new walk-in patients are not given appointment times at this time.
The letter points out that actions have been made to address safety concerns by the Supreme Court and the Center. A National Task Force was formed by the Supreme Court to offer recommendations for enhancing the security, well-being, and working circumstances of healthcare workers. This guarantee from higher authorities is a component of a larger effort to resolve the problems brought up by the strike by doctors.
AIIMS has established a special committee to handle the doctors’ pressing concerns. Important individuals on this committee include the chief security officer of the institute, the medical superintendent, and the deans of academics, research, and examinations. The committee has been assigned the responsibility of carrying out an extensive security audit with the aim of evaluating and enhancing the safety protocols for medical practitioners, employees, patients, and guests at AIIMS New Delhi. Other AIIMS campuses, such as outreach centers like NCI Jhajjar, NDDTC Ghaziabad, and CRHSP Ballabgarh, will also be included in this assessment. The committee will be in operation day and night in order to thoroughly assess current security procedures and determine the necessity for any further safety measures.
In order to resume providing regular patient care, Dr. Srinivas has advised the resident physicians to report back to work as soon as possible. He emphasized that the suggestions made by the committee would be promptly examined in order to include any required enhancements to the security and safety protocols at AIIMS facilities.
In conclusion, Dr. Srinivas acknowledges the resident doctors’ safety worries, but he also stresses the urgent necessity to restart patient care services and gives the institute’s assurance that it is actively working to strengthen security measures to safeguard all medical personnel.
SOURCE :
THE INDIAN EXPRESS
