Relief for patients as doctors at AIIMS call off strike after 2 days
NEW DELHI: The resident doctors’ association (RDA) of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) called off its strike after it was given assurance that the administration would, for the time being, replace the senior faculty member who had allegedly slapped a resident doctor.
“The accused doctor has gone on a leave as per the directions of the committee and another senior faculty member would be appointed as acting department chief pending an investigation,” said a doctor from the hospital administration.
“We have also been assured that he (accused faculty member) will not be taking any examinations or guiding anyone for their thesis,” said Dr Vijay Gurjar, former RDA president.
On Friday and Saturday, patients were turned back from the out-patient department (OPD) as resident doctors went on agitation demanding the suspension of the senior faculty mem- ber. The flash strike was called on Thursday evening – after the OPD had closed for the day.
Every day, nearly 10,000 patients visit the OPD of the premier hospital.
“The OPDS had to be restricted, only follow-up patients who were under treatment at AIIMS were seen by senior faculty members and consultants. No new patients were regis- tered on Friday and Saturday,” said a doctor from the hospital, on condition of anonymity.
The strike of nearly 2,000 junior doctors also forced the administration to cancel all routine surgeries on Friday and Saturday. Nearly 200 people undergo planned major surgeries in the hospital every day.
Some people wait for months, sometimes years, for their sur- gery dates.
“... We will talk to the administration and try to get extra OT hours. We will also cancel our weekly offs and attend to the patients who had to miss out on surgeries because of the strike,” said Dr Harjit Singh Bhatti, president of the AIIMS resident doctors association. An estimated 30-40% patients getting treatment at AIIMS travel to Delhi from neighbouring states.
After the incident of the senior faculty member allegedly slapping a junior doctor came to light on Thursday morning, a committee was set-up to investigate the matter. The committee, headed by dean-research, will likely submit their finding on Saturday, officials said.
“I got worried because of the political connections and the power imbibed in the faculty here. Any action taken against him (the accused senior faculty member) will be short-lived compared to the embarrassment I will face in my life because of this,” said the junior doctor, in his complaint to AIIMS director.