Doctors at Delhi's All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on Thursday announced that they were calling off their 11-day strike, to protest the rape and murder of a Kolkata doctor, following an appeal from the Supreme Court.
The apex court earlier in the day asked protesting doctors to resume work and assured them that no adverse action would be taken after they rejoin.
"We are resuming duties following the Supreme Court's appeal and assurances and intervention in the RG Kar incident and safety for doctors. We commend the Court's action and call for adherence to its directives. Patient care remains our top priority," the AIIMS Resident Doctors' Association said in a post on X.
On August 12, doctor associations started a nationwide protest, halting OPD services. Emergency services continued as usual.
The brutal assault and murder of the junior doctor sparked nationwide protests. Her body was found on August 9 with severe injury marks inside the seminar hall of the state-run hospital's chest department. A civic volunteer was arrested by the Kolkata Police in connection with the case the following day.
Meanwhile, tough talking Supreme Court on Thursday termed "extremely disturbing" the Kolkata Police's delay in registering the unnatural death of the woman doctor raped and killed at the RG Kar Hospital, and also asked protesting doctors to get back to work.
Justice and medicine cannot be stopped, the court said while hearing a suo-motu case on the Kolkata doctor's horrific end and directed the Centre and the states to take urgent steps to institutionalise the safety of medics across the country.
A bench headed by Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud issued a slew of directions on the safety of doctors, norms for protests, rights of protesters as well as the West Bengal government.
It said the National Task Force (NTF) formed by the apex court will take note of the suggestions of all the stakeholders while formulating a national protocol for the safety of healthcare professionals, including the associations representing resident doctors.
"We direct the secretary of the Union Ministry of Health to engage with the chief secretaries of the states and directors general of police to ensure the safety of healthcare professionals," the bench said, while ordering that the exercise be completed in a week.