Kolkata doctor murder: Doctors at PGI Chandigarh call off strike after SC appeal
PTC News Desk: Doctors at Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), Chandigarh have called off their strike after Supreme Court's appeal during hearing on Kolkata doctor's r@pe and murder.
After doctors decided to end their 11-day strike, OPD services at PGI would resume as usual. However, doctors will continue to showcase their protest by wearing black strips while on duty.
Meanwhile, doctors at Delhi's All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) said on Thursday that they were putting off their 11-day strike to protest the r@pe and murder of a doctor in Kolkata, following a Supreme Court appeal.
Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court ordered protesting doctors to return to work and told them that no adverse action would be taken against them.
"We have resumed duties in response to the Supreme Court's appeal, assurances, and intervention in the RG Kar incident, as well as doctor safety. We applaud the Court's ruling and urge adherence to its recommendations. Patient care remains our top priority," the AIIMS Resident Doctors' Association stated in a statement on X.
On August 12, doctor associations launched a nationwide protest that halted OPD services. Emergency services operated as usual.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court described the difficult working conditions experienced by resident doctors across the country as "inhuman" and asked the 10-member National Task Force (NTF) it established earlier this week to streamline and regulate medical professionals' working hours.
“We are deeply concerned about the inhuman working hours of resident doctors across the country. Some doctors work 36-hour shifts,” Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud said in Thursday's hearing of Kolkata doctor's brutal r@ape and murder case. “The committee appointed should look into streamlining the on-duty hours of all doctors. 36- or 48-hour shifts are just inhuman!” he further said.
- With inputs from our correspondent
