Kolkata murder: Resident doctors to protest at Jantar Mantar on day 10

The apex court on Tuesday constituted a 10-member task force to formulate a national protocol to ensure safety and facilities for the doctors also requesting the protesting doctors to end the strike

Resident doctors will stage a protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi on Wednesday, the 10th day of their indefinite strike over the alleged rape and murder of a medic in a Kolkata hospital.

Elective services in several government hospitals across the city have remained suspended due to the protests.

AIIMS, GTB, Lady Hardinge Medical College & Associated Hospitals, Maulana Azad Medical College and its associated hospitals have released individual statements urging participation in the silent protest.

After the Supreme Court hearing on Tuesday, the central government-run RML Hospital had called off the strike, saying, "The Ministry of Health and the Medical Superintendent's office have assured that all necessary permissions for enhanced security measures at medical institutions have been obtained with a 45-day timeline set for implementation."

However, within an hour, the RML RDA clarified, "There was some miscommunication, and we apologize for the same. We want to clarify that we stand with our colleagues and other RDAs. We will make our decision only after there is a consensus among all RDAs, and the common decision of all RDAs will be our decision. We stand united."

The apex court on Tuesday constituted a 10-member task force to formulate a national protocol to ensure safety and facilities for the doctors. It also requested the protesting doctors to end the strike, saying abstention from the work of doctors affects those segments of the society that are in need of medical care.

 

Members of Resident Doctors' Association from major hospitals in Delhi, along with the Federation of Resident Doctors' Associations (FORDA) and the Federation of All India Medical Associations (FAIMA), have been on an indefinite strike.

On Tuesday, after conducting a meeting with the RDA members, both the bodies representing the resident doctors released a statement saying they will continue with the strike until the Health Ministry takes concrete action on the issue of CPA.

On August 9, the body of the postgraduate trainee doctor was found in the seminar hall of state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. A civic volunteer was arrested in connection with the crime the next day. Later, the Calcutta High Court handed over the case to the CBI.