FORDA ends stir after meeting Nadda; AIIMS, other doctors' bodies won't relent

The Federation of Resident Doctors Association FORDA has called off its strike over the alleged rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata as the Union health minister accepted their demands reported news agency PTIHowever the medics at the central governmentrun AIIMS the Indira Gandhi Hospital and other resident doctors associations including the Federation of All India Medical Associations FAIMA said on Tuesday that their stir would continue until a central law to curb attacks on medical personnel is implemented and a concrete solution foundA delegation of FORDA met with Union Health Minister J P Nadda at his residence on Tuesday night The association said the decision to end the strike effective from Wednesday morning was taken in the interest of the welfare of patients reported PTIA key outcome of the meeting was the health ministers agreement to form a committee with FORDAs involvement to work on the Central Protection Act The ministry has assured that work on this will begin within the next 15 days FORDA said in a statement released late Tuesday night on the Kolkata doctor rapemurder reported PTIThe committee will focus on the timely implementation of the Act aimed at ensuring a safer working environment for healthcare workers Meetings for this initiative are set to commence within the next two weeks with FORDA forming a delegation to participate the statement said on the Kolkata doctor rapemurderAn official notice from the health ministry is expected soon it saidAccording to the statement a pivotal point of the discussions was the governments decision to initiate a Central Bureau of Investigation CBI probe into the tragic incident at RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata reported PTIIn addition to the CBI investigation the National Medical Commission NMC has responded to the associations calls for enhanced security in healthcare institutions by establishing Standard Operating Procedures SOPs for nationwide application it said adding these SOPs are expected to empower institutions across the country to demand better security measures reported PTIImportantly the government assured that no police action would be taken against doctors involved in the strike either in Kolkata or across the nation the statement saidOur ultimate goal is to serve humanity better and we can only do so if we feel safe and protected the statement stated reported PTIDoctors at the GTB Hospital who too were part of the delegation that met Nadda have also called off their indefinite strike according to Hospital RDA President Rajat SharmaWith the strike officially called off resident doctors across the country are expected to resume their duties immediately marking the end of a challenging period for Indias healthcare system the statement issued by FORDA said reported PTIMeanwhile Dr Ragunandan Dixit General Secretary of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences AIIMS Resident Doctors Association told PTI It was unanimously decided that AIIMS resident doctors including foreign nationals sponsored candidates fellows and undergraduates would continue their indefinite strike until a written assurance is provided for the implementation of the Central Protection Act suspension of the former Principal pending inquiry and the fulfilment of other demandsFAIMA also said that the strike over the the Kolkata doctor rapemurder would continue on WednesdayAs of now we have not received a concrete solution so we will continue the indefinite strike on Wednesday The OPDs OTs and wards will be shut it saidThe Resident Doctors Association of the Indira Gandhi Hospital said it supported FAIMA and has decided to continue the strike until all our demands are met according to a statement reported PTIDr Dhruv Chauhan a health activist and National Council member of the Indian Medical Associations Junior Doctors Network criticised FORDA for calling off the stirThe decision by FORDA to call off the strike should be reconsidered as the majority of the medical fraternity opposes it Central hospitals will continue their strike and FAIMA remains steadfast he told PTICalling off the strike now would mean that female resident doctors might never receive justice This movement is at a crucial juncture and abandoning it now risks losing momentum with the potential for similar incidents to recur he addedOn Monday several governmentrun hospitals in the national capital went on an indefinite strike after a postgraduate trainee doctor was raped and murdered while on duty at the R G Kar Medical College in Kolkata West BengalThe Resident Doctors Association decided to shut elective services in hospitals in response to a call from FORDAWith inputs from PTI