Doctors protest in Delhi over Kolkata hospital violence

Scores of doctors at some government and private hospitals in Delhi held demonstrations Friday by marching and raising slogans to express solidarity with their protesting colleagues in Kolkata.

A group of doctors also met Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan and apprised him of the demands of the medical fraternity to ensure safety and security of doctors in face of any violence in hospital premises. Vardhan has assured the doctors that he will look into their demands.

Doctors under the banner of the Resident Doctors' Association (RDA) held out marches in the AIIMS campus, with many wearing bandages on their foreheads.

The resident doctors associations of the Maulana Azad Medical College and associated hospitals have also joined the protest.

Condemning the violence in West Bengal, the AIIMS RDA had on Thursday urged all the RDAs across the country to join the token strike.

Healthcare services at private and government hospitals in the national capital are likely to be affected on Friday as scores of doctors began the boycott for a day.

There will be a complete shutdown of all out patient departments (OPDs), routine operation theatre services and ward visits, except emergency services in the hospitals, several medical bodies of the city had said on Thursday.

Junior doctors in West Bengal are on a strike since Tuesday after two of their colleagues were attacked and seriously injured at the NRS Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata.

In the wake of the strike in West Bengal, the AIIMS has instituted contingency measures to take care of the admitted patients, including those in the ICUs and wards.

As part of contingency measures, OPD services will function in a restricted manner till normalcy is restored, according to a memo put out by the AIIMS medical superintendent on Thursday.

Only follow-up patients with prior appointment will be registered in the OPD, while registration of new patients will be done as per availability of the faculty, it said.

Routine operation theatre (OT) services will remain suspended and only emergency cases will be taken up for surgical operations. Diagnostic services will also function in a restricted manner, it added.

Resident doctors at the AIIMS and Safdarjung Hospital had on Thursday worked with bandages on their heads in a symbolic protest.

The AIIMS RDA had also decided to observe a 'Black Day' on Friday to protest against the assault on doctors in West Bengal. The Delhi Medical Association (DMA) observed a "Black Day" on Thursday against the brutal attack and had declared an absolute shutdown on Friday.

The DMA Executive stated that the organisation is ready for an agitation to press for strong legislation and strict action against violence at hospitals.

The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has directed the members of all its state branches to stage protests and wear black badges on Friday.

In a communique to all its state presidents and secretaries, the IMA has asked them to organise demonstrations in front of the district collectors' offices from 10 am to noon on Friday and hand over a memorandum addressed to the prime minister to the collectors in every district.

The Delhi Medical Association (DMA) has also urged its members to observe a "Black Day" on Thursday against the brutal attack.

Simultaneously, all the local branches and individual members of the IMA will send an appeal to the prime minister and the Union home minister, demanding a central Act on violence against doctors and hospitals.

The IMA has also urged its state branches to communicate the information to the government doctors' organisations of the states, request for their support and issue a press statement to this effect.

Simultaneously, all the local branches and individual members of the IMA will send an appeal to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah, demanding a central Act on violence against doctors and in hospitals.

The IMA on Thursday had also urged its state branches to communicate the information to the government doctors' organisations of the states and request for their support and issue press statements to this effect.