PUDUCHERRY: The indefinite strike led by the JIPMER Resident Doctors Association (JRDA) has escalated, with medical services at the JIPMER remaining suspended, except for emergency services, on Saturday. The strike, which began in response to the recent rape and murder of a resident doctor at RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata, has now entered its fourth day.
In a show of solidarity, the JIPMER Faculty Association (JFA) joined the protest, suspending all routine services, including outpatient departments (OPD), operating theatres (OT), and laboratories. Emergency services, including the casualty ward, emergency OT, ICU, and inpatient care, are continuing to function.
Dr. Bikash Kumar Naredi, President of JFA, and Dr. Suresh Kumar S, Secretary of JFA, stated that the suspension of routine services is a mark of solidarity with the medical fraternity across the country.
The protestors, including members of the JRDA, JFA, JIPMER Nurses Association, and Trained Nurses Association, formed a human chain on Saturday. They were joined by residents and students from Indira Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute, as well as private medical colleges like Sri Manakula Vinayagar Medical College and Pondicherry Institute of Medical Sciences.
The primary demand of the protestors is the enactment of a Central Protection Act (CPA) to ensure the safety of doctors and healthcare workers, particularly women professionals, across the country.
"The agitation will continue until the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare assures the implementation of the CPA," said Dr. S. Shobha, General Secretary of JRDA. The protestors are also calling for justice for the resident doctor from Kolkata and action against those responsible for the violence against doctors in the ongoing protests there.
“There is an urgent need for uniform safety guidelines for doctors and healthcare professionals, including the provision of separate resting rooms during duty hours, CCTV cameras, and security personnel, akin to the existing admission guidelines in hospitals,” said Dr Suresh Kumar.
The strike has led to the non-functioning of the OPD, causing patients to flock to emergency services for medical assistance. Doctors on duty are ensuring that all patients are attended to, and efforts are being made to reschedule appointments for those with previously scheduled OPD services to minimize inconvenience, said the JFA.
In a related development, the JRDA has met with Lok Sabha member V. Vaithilingam, urging him to raise the issue in Parliament to push for the enactment of the CPA.
Meanwhile, Puducherry government medical officers staged a silent demonstration, wearing black badges at Indira Gandhi Government General Hospital and Post Graduate Institute in the morning, before attending to their OPD duties.
