Routine OPD, OT services shut on Saturday: AIIMS faculty association

New Delhi: The Faculty Association of AIIMS (FAIMS), Delhi, has announced that routine OPD and operation theatre services will be suspended on Saturday to protest against the alleged rape and murder of a trainee woman doctor at a state-run hospital Kolkata and subsequent vandalism at the facility.

Doctors at the Centre-run hospitals Safdarjung and RML will hold a silent protest march, sporting black ribbons, in solidarity with the protesting doctors "As you are aware, in light of the heinous incident that occurred at R G Kar Medical College, Kolkata, involving a resident doctor, the residents of our institute are on strike, demanding the urgent implementation of a 'Central Protection Act' to ensure a safe environment for practising doctors," the FAIMS said in a communication to the AIIMS-Delhi director.

According to it, an urgent general body meeting was held with faculty members, and it was unanimously decided that apart from emergency medical services, including casualty, emergency operation theatre (OT), ICU and wards, no routine hospital services such OPD, OT, laboratory will function on Saturday.

It said that they have ensured that patients scheduled for OPD services tomorrow are informed. Their appointments have been rescheduled to minimise inconvenience, the FAIMS said.

"We will make certain that emergency services continue to function smoothly, so that patients requiring urgent and life-saving care are not left unattended," it said.

A message sent to faculty members of the Safdarjung hospital read, "A prayer meeting for the departed soul in the shocking RG Kar Hospital incident will be held at 2 pm at the Old LT tomorrow (August 17). It will be followed by a silent protest march around the hospital as mark of solidarity. All are requested to kindly attend and reach the venue in time. Black ribbons will be provided at the venue." Faculty members at the RML hospital will also be holding a silent protest from 1 pm-2 pm, sporting black ribbons, to show support to the protesting doctors.

The Indian Medical Association has declared a nationwide withdrawal of non-emergency medical services on 6 am on August 17 to 6 am August 18 to protest the alleged rape and murder.

All essential services will be maintained and casualties will be manned, the IMA said in a statement.

The routine OPDs will not function and elective surgeries will not be conducted. The withdrawal is across all the sectors wherever modern medicine doctors are providing service, the doctors body said.