Resident doctors and junior doctors remain perturbed as they continue their nationwide indefinite strike demanding the central government pass legislation to protect healthcare workers.
A decision to persist with the strike was made after the Indian Medical Association ( IMA), the largest organization representing over 4 lakh healthcare professionals in the country, convened a meeting with all Resident Doctors Association (RDA’s).
These associations have persisted in their work boycott in response to the gruesome rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata.
Association Demand Central Protection Act
Dr. Dhruv Chauhan, the national council coordinator of the IMA-Junior Doctors network, was present at the IMA meeting held at its headquarters in Delhi. He stated that all RDA’s have unanimously chosen to continue the strike.
He further emphasized that the RDA’s are not seeking mere assurances but are demanding an ordinance. According to Chauhan, The RDA’s believes that strict action is necessary to prompt the government into action.
He expresses his confusion over the government’s hesitation in enacting central law to safeguard doctors, which he described as an urgent need, The New Indian Express reported.
Dr Rohan Krishnan, National chairman of the Federation of All India Media Association (FAIMA), confirmed that RDA has collectively decided to continue the strike. He highlighted that their main demand is to introduce the Cengral Protection Act to cover all their healthcare professionals, including doctors, nurses, and paramedics.
The meeting was attended by 30 RDAs and was organized following the Supreme Court hearing in response to the indefinite strike by resident doctors and junior doctors.
Dr.Rv Asokan, National President, explained that the focus of the meeting was to press the government to issue an ordinance. The IMA has also sent a letter to Union Health Minister JP Nadda, stressing the urgent need for the Central Protection Act for doctors
Formation of a National Task Force
On Wednesday, the Union Health Ministry announced the creation of a 14-member National Task Force tasked with providing recommendations on improving the safety, working conditions, and overall well-being of medical professionals.
This development follows the Supreme Court’s decision on Tuesday to establish a 10-member National Task Force to develop a protocol for ensuring the safety and security of medical professionals.
It is anticipated that the interim report will be submitted in three weeks, with the final report expected in two months.
Chief Justice DY Chandrachud who led the three-member bench, emphasized the absence of institutional safety norms at medical facilities, especially concerning sexual violence against healthcare workers, is a significant concern.
While there are laws in place to [protect medical professionals, they fall short of addressing deeper systematic issues.
The bench further stated that the National Task Force ( NTF) will include the cabinet secretary, home secretary, secretary of the Ministry of Health, chairperson of the National Medical Commission, and president of the National Board of Examinations as ex-officio members.
On August 9, a postgraduate trainee doctor was found deceased in the seminar hall of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. The discovery led to the arrest of a civic volunteer the next day, who was implicated in the case.
The incident prompted the Calcutta High Court to intervene, and the case was subsequently transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for a more thorough investigation.
