Pvt hospital doctors to join stir in Delhi on Saturday; OPDs, electives to be hit

Doctors in Delhi continue an indefinite strike over a trainee doctor's rape and murder in Kolkata. Private hospitals join for a day, halting OPD and non-essential services.

Doctors across government-run hospitals and medical colleges in Delhi continued their indefinite strike over the rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata for the fifth day on Friday even as private medical professionals announced that they will be joining in the stir for a day on Saturday – halting all out-patient department (OPD) consultations, elective surgeries, and non-essential services across the city.

Doctors hold a protest in front of Nirman Bhawan in New Delhi on Friday. (Vipin Kumar/HT Photo)

Protest marches were held by doctors across different parts of the city on Friday with a section of doctors marching outside Nirman Bhawan which houses the Union health ministry.

A strike call, issued by the India Medical Association (IMA) for a protest that will see halting of all OPD and non-essential services for 24 hours starting from 6am on Saturday, is likely to hit hospital operations for tens of thousands of people through the day at a time when such a protest has already been underway at all major government hospitals.

The move to expand coverage of the strike to private hospitals for a day comes at a time when resident doctors in Delhi’s public hospitals also have halted all out-patient department consultations, elective surgeries, and non-essential services in solidarity with their counterparts in Kolkata.

However, all essential emergency services, including ICUs, emergency surgeries, and emergency operation theatres have continued to operate without any disruption.

“We are deeply saddened and shocked by the horrific incident in Kolkata... At Fortis Hospitals, we stand in solidarity with the Indian Medical Association and the wider medical community in condemning this act. We respect the sentiments of our doctors, and will support those who wish to participate in the nationwide shutdown. Essential services will continue to be provided to ensure that patient care is not compromised,” said Fortis Health Care in a statement on Friday.

Doctors and medical students at AIIMS Delhi demanded a central protection act for healthcare workers.

The announcement of protests by doctors who are part of IMA comes on the same day that Centre directed heads of all government-run medical colleges and institutions across India to file an institutional FIR in cases of violence against health care workers on duty within six hours of the incident, addressing one of the key demands of protesting doctors across the country.

While many of the doctors welcomed the quick FIR in cases of violence, they also felt that the order should not remain only on paper. “It is a good move but its effective implementation is important. We need to see how it pans out,” said a resident doctor from a prominent medical college in Delhi.

Doctors have also unanimously demanding bringing in a Central Protection Act for doctors to safeguard their safety as cases of manhandling of doctors by patients and their relatives frequently are reported from hospitals, especially government-run hospitals.

“Our main demand from the government is that it addresses safety concerns and improves work conditions of doctors working in public hospitals,” said another resident doctor.

“The United Doctors Front Association (UDFA) India stands in solidarity with RDAs across Delhi at Nirman Bhawan. The protest is a united demand for justice and the implementation of the Central Protection Act. Together, we ensure the safety of all health care professionals,” said Dr Lakshya Mittal, president, UDFA.

Outrage has gripped hospitals as well as the wider public in the wake of an August 9 case in Kolkata where a 32-year-old woman doctor was sexually assaulted and murdered in Kolkata’s RG Kar medical college and hospital.