Delhi AIIMS Doctors End 11-Day Strike After Supreme Court Intervention
New Delhi, 22nd August 2024: After an intense 11-day strike, resident doctors at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi have decided to return to work, offering significant relief to thousands of patients. The doctors initiated the strike in protest against the brutal assault of a female doctor in Kolkata. With outpatient services and routine surgeries disrupted the strike impacted countless patients. Following an appeal and directive from the Supreme Court of India, the Resident Doctors’ Association (RDA) announced the strike’s end, allowing medical services to resume.
In a statement, the RDA at AIIMS emphasized that the decision to end the strike was made in the national interest and out of a sense of public duty. The association expressed gratitude towards the Supreme Court for acknowledging the safety concerns of healthcare professionals across the country. “In the spirit of public service, we have decided to call off the 11-day strike in response to the Supreme Court’s appeal and directive. We deeply appreciate the Supreme Court’s recognition of the RG Kar Medical College incident and the broader issue of healthcare worker safety nationwide,” the RDA stated.
The strike, which began on 12th August 2024, resulted in the postponement of over 10,000 surgeries, with outpatient department (OPD) services severely affected. The situation was exacerbated by two public holidays, further delaying medical care for patients in need.
In addition to AIIMS, resident doctors at Indira Gandhi Hospital in Dwarka also called off their 11-day strike following assurances from the Supreme Court. As doctors return to their duties, hospitals across Delhi are expected to resume normal operations, marking the end of a prolonged disruption in medical services that had caused significant distress to patients.
