In response to a Supreme Court appeal, healthcare professionals at Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital in Delhi have decided to suspend their strike, which was initially sparked by the tragic incident at RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata, where a trainee doctor was raped and murdered. The Resident Doctors Association (RDA) issued an official statement announcing the suspension of the strike.
“In light of recent developments and the Supreme Court addressing our concerns, we hereby declare the strike to be withheld,” the RDA stated. The association also confirmed that healthcare workers would resume their duties starting from 8 AM on August 23. The statement highlighted that the horrific incident at RG Kar Medical College underscored the challenging working conditions faced by resident doctors across the country.
Earlier in the day, the All India Institutes of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) also ended their 11-day strike, resuming normal operations. The RDA at AIIMS released a statement saying, “In the interest of the nation and the spirit of public service, the RDA, AIIMS, New Delhi, has decided to call off the 11-day strike. This decision follows the Supreme Court’s appeal and direction. We appreciate the Supreme Court for acknowledging the RG Kar Medical College incident and addressing the broader issues of safety and security for healthcare workers nationwide.”
The Supreme Court had intervened in the Kolkata case, urging health professionals to return to work. The court emphasized that the functioning of the public health infrastructure relied heavily on the presence of doctors. “Let the health professionals return to work, and once they resume their duties, the court will ensure that no adverse actions are taken against them,” the court stated.
In addition to its appeal, the Supreme Court resumed hearings on the RG Kar Medical College case and established a 10-member National Task Force to recommend measures for preventing violence and ensuring safe working conditions for medical professionals. This task force includes Surgeon Vice Admiral Arti Sarin, among others, tasked with addressing these critical issues.