Following the sexual assault and death of a female trainee doctor at a college in West Bengal, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi has witnessed a significant reduction in its services due to a doctors’ strike. Operation Theatre services have been cut by 85%, and patient admissions have dropped by 65%. According to an official update from AIIMS, emergency services and Intensive Care Units (ICUs) remain fully operational, with resident doctors continuing their duties. However, Outpatient Department (OPD) services have been reduced by 55%, laboratory services by 20%, radiological investigations by 40%, and nuclear medicine by 20%, while blood banks are functioning normally.
This strike is in response to a nationwide call by the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) to suspend OPD services following the tragic death of the trainee doctor. Dr. Indra Shekhar Prasad, President of the Resident Doctors Association at AIIMS Delhi, expressed deep concern over the incident, stating, “This is a serious matter. If such incidents can occur in workplaces, how can women feel safe at work? We have made several demands regarding safety concerns and are calling for a CBI investigation. Our protest will continue until our concerns are addressed.”
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has taken over the case following an order from the Calcutta High Court, deploying specialized medical and forensic teams from Delhi to investigate. The trainee doctor was found dead in the seminar hall of the college on August 9, with her family alleging that she was raped and murdered.
