On August 17, the 10th day of their indefinite strike, resident doctors in Delhi are scheduled to demonstrate at Jantar Mantar. The RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata is the scene of an alleged rape and murder of a trainee physician, prompting the strike. Medical services have been severely disrupted as a result of the unfortunate tragedy, which has also caused public outrage.
Several government institutions in Delhi, including AIIMS, GTB Hospital, Lady Hardinge Medical College & Associated institutions, and Maulana Azad Medical College and its affiliated facilities, have suspended elective services as a result of the strike. These organizations have released statements endorsing quiet protest participation, demonstrating the medical community’s unity over the tragedy.
At first, the federal government-run RML Hospital said that its strike would stop after a Supreme Court session on Tuesday. Within 45 days, the Ministry of Health and the Medical Superintendent’s office promised to adopt the necessary permissions for improved security measures. This decision was swiftly reversed, though. There had been a misunderstanding, according to the RML Hospital’s Resident Doctors’ Association (RDA). They reaffirmed their solidarity with other striking doctors and stressed their continued support for the larger strike, saying they would make a decision only after reaching an agreement with other RDAs.
In reaction to the circumstances, the Supreme Court has taken important actions. In order to create a national protocol that guarantees the protection and safety of physicians and medical facilities, it has formed a task team consisting of ten members. The Court further asked the striking doctors to resume their jobs, pointing out that people in need of medical attention are badly impacted by the strike.
The Federation of Resident Doctors’ Associations (FORDA), the Federation of All India Medical Associations (FAIMA), and the Resident Doctors’ Associations (RDAs)—including those from major hospitals in Delhi—have declared that they will not end their strike until the Health Ministry takes decisive action to allay their worries.
The postgraduate trainee doctor died tragically; his body was found on August 9. This has led to increased calls for better safety protocols. The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has taken up the case from the Calcutta High Court after a volunteer from the community was taken into custody in relation to the crime. The demonstrations that are still going on highlight how urgently fundamental changes must be made in order to protect healthcare workers and stop similar occurrences from happening in the future.
SOURCE :
THE PRINT
