NMC Bill: Doctors continue protest, emergency services resumed

Protest against the National Medical Commission Bill by Resident Doctor’s Association & Students’ Union of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on Saturday entered the third day despite Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan appealing to them to resume work. However, the emergency services at most hospitals, including AIIMS, RML Hospital, and Delhi government-run facilities have been resumed.

“We remain steadfast in our decision to continue ongoing indefinite strike against certain provisions of NMC Bill. However, emergency services to resume at AIIMS with immediate effect,” Resident Doctor's Association & Students' Union of All India Institute of Medical Sciences, said on Saturday.

Similarly, medical services at Chandigarh's Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER), which caters to around 10,000 patients daily, were severely affected on Saturday, following a strike by 1,200 resident doctors protesting against the Bill.

Doctors from several associations have been expressing reservations over certain provisions of the Bill and alleged that these were "anti-poor, anti-student and undemocratic".

The resident doctors' associations of AIIMS, Safdarjung Hospital, RML Hospital and those attached with the Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA) and United Resident Doctors' Association (URDA) had boycotted work including that at the emergency department and held demonstrations on Thursday over the issue.

They continued their strike on Friday after the passage of the NMC Bill in Rajya Sabha on Thursday evening.

Patients at AIIMS, LNJP Hospital, and several other facilities continued to face problems in accessing medical care, many of whom had come from neighbouring cities.

Vardhan, meanwhile, appealed to the striking doctors to resume work, saying the Bill was in the "interest" of the doctors and patients. The health minister made the appeal during a meeting with a delegation of resident doctors from AIIMS and various other associations.