New Delhi: In the wake of the tragic incident involving a resident doctor at RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata, representatives from the Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA), Indian Medical Association (IMA), and Resident Doctors’ Associations of Government Medical Colleges & Hospitals in Delhi met with the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare in New Delhi.
The associations expressed their concerns about the safety and security of healthcare workers, urging the ministry to take action, ANI reported.
The ministry assured the representatives that their demands would be taken seriously and committed to making all efforts to ensure the security of healthcare professionals. It was noted that 26 states have already passed legislation to protect healthcare workers.
In response to the concerns raised, the ministry promised to form a committee to recommend measures for improving the safety of healthcare professionals. Representatives from all stakeholders, including state governments, will be invited to provide input.
The ministry also urged the protesting doctors to return to work in light of the rising cases of Dengue and Malaria.
Additionally, IMA National President Dr. Asokan emphasized the need for Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s intervention in the case, announcing that the IMA would be writing to him. He highlighted the unity among doctors nationwide, who are protesting the incident, and stressed the importance of a government response to protect the fundamental right to life.
Following the IMA’s call for a nationwide strike, doctors at AIIMS Delhi staged a protest march demanding justice. IMA Secretary General Dr. Anil Kumar J Nayak expressed hope that the government would enact the Central Protection Act (CPA) to ensure the safety of healthcare workers.
The incident on August 9, where a postgraduate trainee doctor was raped and murdered at RG Kar Medical College, has sparked widespread protests across the medical community. The situation escalated when the protest site and hospital campus were vandalized by a mob, leading to intervention by security forces.
