Resident doctors and medical organizations on strike across the country are having different opinions regarding the case of rape and murder of a lady doctor in Kolkata. AIIMS and FORDA have announced to continue the strike while FORDA has withdrawn the strike. Doctors from central government-run AIIMS, Indira Gandhi Hospital and other resident doctors associations including Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) said that their agitation will continue until a central law is implemented to stop attacks on medical personnel.
AIIMS Delhi has issued a statement announcing to continue the strike. A statement from AIIMS said that on the Kolkata incident, the AIIMS community reiterates its demand for implementation of the Central Protection Act and will continue to support the doctors of RG Kar MC&H.
The statement said that it has been unanimously decided that AIIMS resident doctors, including foreign nationals, fellows and graduates, will continue their strike, which includes suspension of academic activities, elective OPD, ward and OT services. However, emergency services, ICU, emergency procedures and emergency OT will remain operational.
On the other hand, two organizations of resident doctors involved in the strike have issued different statements. After meeting the Union Health Minister JP Nadda, on one hand FORDA has announced to end the strike, while on the other hand FAIMA has announced to continue the strike.
FORDA calls off the strike
After meeting JP Nadda, FORDA, which is involved in the strike, issued a statement saying that the Health Minister has accepted all the demands written in the letter in the meeting. As per the request for the Central Security Act, FORDA will be a part of the committee, on which work will start within 15 days. Official information will be given soon from the ministry. Therefore, it has been decided to withdraw the strike.
FAIMA will continue the strike
While announcing to continue the strike, Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) said that none of our demands have been accepted by the central government. Only one of our demands has been accepted that the case be handed over to CBI, that too has been done on the orders of the Hon’ble High Court. Our priority is to ensure the safety of doctors. The strike will continue until our demands are met.
Demand for central security act for health workers
Dr Rohan Krishnan, president of FAIMA Doctors’ Association, said, “We have received news that a body of Resident Doctors’ Associations has called off the strike. Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) Doctors’ Association is on strike today. We will continue the strike today as only one demand has been met, handing over the case to the CBI. This too has been done by the High Court. We have not received much support from the state government or the central government. We want a central security act for health workers and we want something concrete on this.”
Request to JP Nadda and Amit Shah
He said, ‘I request Health Minister JP Nadda and Home Minister Amit Shah to give us some concrete assurance so that this never happens to any doctor on duty in future. This is the need of the hour. We held a meeting with almost all our affiliated RDAs along with more than 60 medical college RDAs across India. We have decided that we will continue the strike. We will not conduct OPD and elective OT. However, emergency services will continue. Till we get some concrete information about the Central Protection Act from the state government and the central government, we will stop this strike.’
Source (PTI) (NDTV) (HINDUSTANTIMES)