Kolkata rape horror: Striking doctors to ‘treat patients’ outside Health Ministry

Resident doctors of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and other Delhi hospitals have announced.

A unique ‘OPD’ protest against the gruesome rape and murder of a woman trainee doctor and the attack on Kolkata’s RG Kar hospital, where the crime took place, recently.

A press release by the Resident Doctors’ Association (RDA) on Sunday said that the medics will start a protest by providing OPD services on the road in front of Nirman Bhawan in Delhi, where the Union Health Ministry office is situated, from Monday, August 19.

“As discussed with the Action Committee for Central Protection Act and the general body of RDA AIIMS, it was unanimously decided to continue the strike, as our demands remain unaddressed. This includes halting academic activities, elective OPDs, ward and OT services, ICUs, emergency procedures and emergency OT”, the release said.

However, the release added that resident doctors will be available for providing elective OPD services to patients outside Nirman Bhawan, adding that emergency services will continue as before at hospitals.

“We will provide the patient care services in the nation’s interest and as per our Hippocratic oath. We want to highlight the lack of security for healthcare professionals nationwide. We are urging the government to accept our plea for an urgent central ordinance for the safety and security of healthcare workers and institutes”, the official notification said.

The RDA further requested the government to provide necessary arrangements for the elective out patient services outside Nirman Bhawan.

Earlier, the 24-hour nationwide strike called by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) ended on Sunday at 6 am. However, the doctors continued to fight for justice for the 31-year-old post-graduate trainee doctor.

Protesting doctors are demanding justice and urgent reforms, including an overhaul of resident doctors’ working and living conditions and the implementation of a central law to protect healthcare professionals from workplace violence.