Elective Medical Services in Delhi Hospitals Remain Suspended as Doctors Continue Protest

GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 17th August. Elective medical services at hospitals across Delhi remain suspended for the sixth consecutive day as doctors in the national capital continue their protest. The ongoing demonstration is in response to the brutal rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata.

The protest has intensified with the Indian Medical Association (IMA) launching a 24-hour nationwide strike at 6 a.m. on Saturday. Major hospital resident doctors’ associations (RDAs) are scheduled to regroup in the evening for further demonstrations, following protests and candlelight vigils held across the city on Friday.

Doctors from Delhi government hospitals, including AIIMS, RML Hospital, and DDU Hospital, have been actively participating in the protests. They have organized marches and vigils to demand justice for the victim and advocate for the implementation of a central protection Act to ensure the safety of healthcare workers nationwide.

The RDAs have emphasized that this protest extends beyond seeking justice for the incident, calling for robust measures to prevent future violence against healthcare professionals. Thousands of doctors participated in demonstrations across various parts of Delhi on Friday, including a dharna outside Nirman Bhawan.

The ongoing strike has led to significant disruptions for patients, who are struggling to access necessary medical treatments. “We agree that what happened was brutal and swift justice is needed, but it’s unfair to harm innocent people,” said a patient from Sohna, Haryana, who has been unable to receive treatment at AIIMS. “It’s been five days, and we’re still not getting our treatment. If we could afford private services, we wouldn’t have to wait.”

Protesting doctors have assured the public that essential emergency services, including ICUs, emergency procedures, and operation theatres, will continue to function without disruption. Private hospitals have offered support to government hospitals affected by the strike, though they have not halted their elective services.

The situation remains tense as the protest continues, with patients and healthcare workers both impacted by the ongoing demonstrations.