Kolkata rape-murder: Doctors at AIIMS, RML, other Delhi hospitals end strike after SC appeal

New Delhi: In a huge relief to patients, doctors at major hospitals, including AIIMS, RML, LNJP and Maulana Azad Medical College in the national capital, ended their 11-day strike on Thursday soon after the Supreme Court made an impassioned appeal to the protesting medics to resume work and directed the Centre to provide safety measures to them.

A tough-talking apex court termed "extremely disturbing" the Kolkata Police's delay in registering the unnatural death of the woman doctor raped and killed at the RG Kar Hospital.

The court, however, said judges and doctors cannot go on a strike since they deal with matters involving life and liberty.

Following the court's appeal and directions about safety of doctors, resident doctors' association (RDA) of several hospitals ended the strike that commenced on August 12.

The Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA), an umbrella body of doctors, RDAs of centre-run facilities such as AIIMS, RML and Lady Hardinge Medical College, and Delhi government-run LNJP, Maulana Azad Medical College, GTB Hospital and Indira Gandhi Hospital also announced their decision to call off the protest.

In a post on X, the Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA), a major body of RDAs across the country, announced its decision to call off the strike, saying the doctors will resume their duty.

"We are thankful to all RDAs, media personnel, various medical and non-medical associations and above all, our patients, for their support and understanding," it said.

The decision to call off the strike comes as a major relief to patients who were struggling to get regular medical care due to the closure of outpatient department (OPD) in government hospitals even as emergency services were functioning as usual.

"#FAIMA has decided to call off the strike following positive directions from the #Chief Justice of India. We welcome the acceptance of our prayers for interim protections and the necessary steps to enhance security in hospitals. United, we will continue to fight legally," FAIMA said in a post on X.

The announcement by FAIMA came soon after several RDAs called off their strike over the Kolkata incident following an appeal from the Supreme Court.

The assault and murder of the junior doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College and Hospital has sparked nationwide protests.

The doctors had several rounds of meetings with the Union health ministry and demanded a fast and transparent investigation by the CBI into the tragic incident, formation of a Central Protection Act and the implementation of safer conditions and security improvement measures in all institutes and medical colleges.

However, the talks failed to yield results as the doctors continued their stir.

With the Supreme Court's intervention, the doctors took the call of ending their strike.

"We are resuming duties following the Supreme Court's appeal and assurances and intervention in the RG Kar incident and the safety for doctors. We commend the court's action and call for adherence to its directives. Patient care remains our top priority," the Resident Doctors' Association, AIIMS, New Delhi, said in a post on X.

The resident doctors' association of RML Hospital said in a statement that "given the court's intervention and the progress made in addressing their demands", they would resume their duties from 8 am on Friday.

The Resident Doctors' Association of Indira Gandhi Hospital also lauded the Supreme Court for "addressing the broader issue of the safety and security of healthcare workers nationwide".

The junior doctor's body was found on August 9 with severe injury marks inside the seminar hall of the state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.

A civic volunteer was arrested by the Kolkata Police in connection with the case the following day.

On August 13, the Calcutta High Court ordered the transfer of the probe from the Kolkata Police to the CBI, which started its investigation on August 14.

The doctors' body at the LNJP Hospital also ended their strike and said they would resume their work on Friday morning.

Earlier in the day, a bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud issued a slew of directions on the safety of doctors, norms for protests, rights of protesters as well as the West Bengal government.

Making an impassioned appeal to the protesting doctors across the country, the apex court also asked them to get back to work, saying "justice and medicine" cannot be stopped and moreover, it was issuing all the necessary directions to ensure their safety. It further directed no coercive action against them.

The court directed the secretary in the Union health ministry to engage with the chief secretaries and directors general of police to ensure that the states and Union territories put in place certain basic minimum requirements for safety measures for doctors.

It also said the exercise of holding meetings should be completed within a week from Thursday.