Resident Doctors Rally for Justice Amid Strikes and National Protests

Resident doctors in Delhi will protest at Jantar Mantar over the alleged rape and murder of a doctor in Kolkata. Major government hospitals have suspended elective services due to the strike. The Supreme Court has formed a task force to ensure doctors' safety, urging an end to the strike.

Resident doctors will stage a protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi on Wednesday to mark the 10th day of their indefinite strike over the alleged rape and murder of a medic at a Kolkata hospital.

Elective services in several government hospitals across the city have been suspended due to the protests. Institutions like AIIMS, GTB, Lady Hardinge Medical College, Maulana Azad Medical College, and associated hospitals have urged participation in the silent protest. Following a Supreme Court hearing on Tuesday, the central government-run RML Hospital had initially called off the strike but later clarified that they would stand united with other RDAs after a consensus decision.

The Supreme Court on Tuesday constituted a 10-member task force to develop a national protocol ensuring the safety and facilities for doctors. It also appealed to the protesting doctors to end their strike, highlighting the negative impact on patients in need of medical care. Members of Resident Doctors' Association from major Delhi hospitals, along with FORDA and FAIMA, have joined the indefinite strike.

On Tuesday, both RDA members and representative bodies decided to continue the strike until the Health Ministry takes concrete action on the issue of CPA. The demand for justice arose after a postgraduate trainee doctor's body was found at RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata, leading to the arrest of a civic volunteer and the case being handed to the CBI by the Calcutta High Court.

(With inputs from agencies.)