AIIMS Doctors Announce 'OPD On The Road' Protest In Delhi Against Kolkata Hospital Attack

Resident doctors from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and other Delhi hospitals have declared an innovative form of protest in response to the recent tragic events at Kolkata's RG Kar hospital. The medics plan to conduct outpatient department (OPD) services on the street in front of Nirman Bhawan, which houses the Union Health Ministry, starting Monday, August 19.

The Resident Doctors' Association (RDA) issued a statement on Sunday outlining their decision to continue their strike, citing unaddressed demands. While halting academic activities, elective OPDs, ward and operation theatre services, ICUs, and emergency procedures within the hospital, the doctors have committed to providing elective OPD services outside Nirman Bhawan. Emergency services at hospitals will continue uninterrupted.

This unconventional protest aims to highlight the lack of security for healthcare professionals across India. The RDA is urging the government to implement an urgent central ordinance to ensure the safety and security of healthcare workers and institutions. They have requested that the government make necessary arrangements for the outdoor patient services near Nirman Bhawan.

The protest follows a 24-hour nationwide strike called by the Indian Medical Association (IMA), which concluded on Sunday morning. However, doctors continue to advocate for justice for the 31-year-old post-graduate trainee doctor who was the victim of the Kolkata incident.

The protesting doctors' demands include substantial reforms in the working and living conditions of resident doctors and the implementation of a central law to protect healthcare professionals from workplace violence. This unique form of protest underscores the medical community's determination to bring about meaningful change in the wake of the tragic events in Kolkata.