AIIMS resident docs continue strike

new delhi — Healthcare services at AIIMS in Delhi remained affected for the third consecutive day on Saturday as resident doctors remained adamant that the administration suspend a senior doctor who had allegedly slapped one of their colleagues in front of patients and other staffers.

Routine surgeries remained cancelled, out-patient clinics functioned in a restricted manner and patients seeking OPD consultation were sent back due to the strike.

Only the emergency and ICU services functioned.

The senior doctor, who heads a department at the premier institute, has tendered a written apology for assaulting the resident doctor and proceeded on leave on the directions of an internal probe panel.

The resident doctors, who have been on the protest strike since Thursday evening, paid no heed to AIIMS Director Randeep Guleria’s appeal to call off their strike and return to work. “The senior doctor has

The senior doctor has been sent on leave. We want the administration to suspend him. Till he is suspended we will continue our strike A striking doctor

been sent on leave. We want the administration to suspend him. Till he is suspended we will continue our strike,” a doctor participating in the strike said. The hospital administration has put in place a contingency plan for patient-care services, as a part of which faculty-on-call in all clinical departments have to physically man the in-patient wards.

“OPD services will function on restricted basis till such a time that normalcy is restored. Only followup patients with prior appointment will be registered in OPD,” an order issued by the administration stated. — PTI