Doctors of several government hospitals including the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, Ram Manohar Lohia (RML) Hospital and Safdarjung Hospital staged a protest in the capital on Monday, demanding justice for the woman postgraduate trainee (PGT) doctor who was allegedly raped and murdered at RG Kar Medical College Hospital in West Bengal’s Kolkata last week.
The demonstration was held as part of the nationwide protest called by the Federation of Resident Doctors’ Association (FORDA) India seeking justice for the woman PGT doctor.
Earlier, the FORDA said as a mark of solidarity with the colleagues of RG Kar Medical College it announce a nationwide halting of elective services in hospitals starting from 12th August.
The AIIMS Resident Doctors’ Association held the demonstration at its campus demanding immediate transfer of the investigation of the case to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and resignation of responsible authorities of the RG Kar Medical College for the alleged failure to protect the dignity and life of the on-duty female doctor.
Besides this, the AIIMS RDA demanded adequate compensation to the victim family and immediate implementation of the Central Protection Act (CPA) or a similar law to ensure the protection of doctors across the country.
On Sunday, the Association held a candle march in solidarity with the victim and demanded justice for her.
Former AIIMS RDA president Dr Vinay Kumar in a post on X wrote, “Residents doctors from AIIMS New Delhi came out of aiims campus and sitting on the road , to support nationwide agitation due to the inaction by Mamata Banerjee government at RG Kar Hospital.”
Appeal people to back the protest, he said, “I appeal public to support this as it was crime on human body not just on doctor.”
The AIIMS in a statement said, “In view of the resident strike on 12th August, administrative rounds were conducted to find out the status of various patient care services. Emergency services are running heavier than normal with all residents attending to their duties and backed up by their respective faculty. The Emergency OPD census till 12 pm is 224.”
The premier institute said ICUs are functioning as per normal with all residents attending to their duties.
On OPD, the AIIMS said, “The total registration of OPD patients on 12th August was 4053 as against the average of 6,500 in the main hospital on Mondays. A total of 203 admissions have been done against an average of 280 by 12 pm. Elective admissions have been suspended but emergency admissions are being done.”
Surgeries in OTs are restricted to vital elective cases and emergency cases only, it added.
Doctors at the RML Hospital staged protest. Holding placards, they shouted slogans demanding CBI probe over the matter.
One of the protesting doctors said, “The culprits should be hanged. All the authorities should resign immediately.”
Talking to a news agency FORDA India president Dr Aviral Mathur said, “This incident is condemnable. Everyone should condemn this.”
“We demand CBI probe into this incident. We demand compensation (for the victim). We don’t want patients to suffer. Our demand should be addressed,” he said.