New Delhi: After the Supreme Court made another appeal on Thursday to the striking doctors to resume their duties, various agitating resident doctors’ associations (RDAs), including those of AIIMS, Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, Lady Hardinge Medical College, and the Federation of All India Medical Associations (FAIMA) announced the withdrawal of their 11-day protest. It is anticipated that all resident doctors will return to work in their hospitals Friday morning.
The Supreme Court’s persistent requests to the doctors to prioritise their responsibilities and return to patient service influenced the decision to call off the strike. The court acknowledged the importance of addressing the concerns raised by the medical professionals while stressing the need to ensure uninterrupted healthcare services.
The 11-day strike significantly impacted the healthcare system, causing difficulties for many patients in receiving timely medical attention. The resumption of duties by the resident doctors is expected to ease the burden on hospitals while ensuring patients receive the necessary care and treatment.
FAIMA released a statement saying, “The Supreme Court has taken note of the prayer made on behalf of FAIMA regarding interim protection to be provided to the doctors. SC allowed our prayer and directed the state and its director-general of police to take appropriate action within a period of two weeks (in case of violence against healthcare workers).”
The AIIMS RDA expressed “sincere appreciation to the apex court for taking cognisance” of the RG Kar Medical College rape and murder in Kolkata and addressing the broader issue of safety and security for healthcare workers across the country. It praised the court’s decision to establish a national task force to address these issues.
The RDA members pledged to continue their symbolic protests after working hours until justice was served and safety measures are executed. The doctors said that patient care remained their top priority and thanked the court for its order that no punitive action should be taken against the protesting doctors. The RDA pledged to continue advocating the rights and safety of healthcare workers by engaging with authorities, ministries, institutional heads, members of the national task force and the Supreme Court, while maintaining their demand for a central legislation to protect healthcare workers.
Indra Shekhar Prasad, president, AIIMS RDA, stated that as doctors, their primary goal is to provide uninterrupted services to patients. He claimed the residents had “never wanted to go on a strike”, but the horrific incident in Kolkata had exposed severe deficiencies in the safety and security arrangement in the healthcare system, compelling them to take a stand.
Prasad acknowledged the difficulty of the decision to sit in protest. “The strike was more difficult for us than duty,” he said. He said the doctors were eager to resume their duties.
The RDA members of RML Hospital have written to the institutional medical superintendent, requesting that no absences be recorded during the strike period and no salaries be deducted, given the unprecedented nature of their cause. They said that during their meeting with the Union health minister and the medical superintendent, they were assured that all necessary permissions and clearances for enhancing security measures at the institute had already been obtained. The members collectively decided to provide a timeline of 45 days for the implementation of these measures. “In case of unsatisfactory progress, we will go on immediate strike,” the RDA cautioned.
