Doctors Strike: The Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA), which was on strike after the incident at Kolkata Medical College, has announced to withdraw the strike. After meeting Health Minister JP Nadda, the Federation of Resident Doctors Association ended the strike.
Despite FORDA’s announcement of calling off the strike, OPD facilities will remain closed in many states of the country. In fact, only one group of doctors has announced to end the strike. Many other organizations of doctors have refused to end the strike.
After meeting Health Minister JP Nadda, Federation of Resident Doctors Association President Dr. Aviral Mathur said that they have been assured regarding their demands, hence FORDA is ending the strike.
However, FORDA ended the strike without any written assurance, due to which there was no consensus among the doctors to end the strike and the RDA of different hospitals are still on strike. The strike will continue from their side even today.
According to the information received so far, resident doctors of both AIIMS and Safdarjung in Delhi will be on strike. The doctors’ protest will continue at all these places today as well. After the incident of rape and murder of a female trainee doctor in Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College, the doctors’ strike is going on across the country.
Why did you decide to end the strike?
After the Kolkata incident, the number of doctors on strike was increasing with each passing day and the protest was intensifying. There were also reports that the strike was expected to become even more widespread in the coming days. At the same time, after the meeting of IMA officials with JP Nadda, a consultation has been issued by the National Medical Commission (NMC) for all medical colleges and institutions.
decision taken on security
The advisory issued to medical colleges and institutes urges them to formulate policies for a safe environment for all staff, including faculty, students and resident doctors, on college and hospital campuses. This advisory has been issued in the wake of resident doctors of many hospitals across the country going on strike in protest against the alleged rape and murder of a trainee doctor in a government hospital in Kolkata.
Violence was also mentioned
The advisory said that in recent times, incidents of violence against doctors have been reported in medical colleges. NMC said in the advisory, ‘All medical colleges are requested to formulate a policy for a safe environment for all staff including faculty, medical students and resident doctors in the college and hospital premises.’
Good lighting and CCTV included
It has been said that adequate security measures should be ensured. The consultation says that campuses which have corridors should be well-lit in the evening so that the staff can move from one place to another safely and CCTV cameras should be installed in all sensitive areas for surveillance. The consultation also says that any incident of violence against medical students should be immediately investigated by the college management and an FIR should be lodged with the police.
(Input also from PTI)
