Kolkata Doctor Rape-Murder Case: Doctors' Body Calls Off Strike After Meeting Health Minister Nadda

The Health Ministry said that Nadda welcomed the decision to call off the strike in the public interest and assured the doctors that the government will address the doctors' concerns.

FORDA called off its strike after meeting Union Health Minister JP Nadda.

Source : X/Union Health Ministry

The Federation of Resident Doctors' Association (FORDA) has called off its strike over the rape and murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata after meeting Union Health Minister JP Nadda. 

The Health Ministry said that Nadda has welcomed the decision to call off the strike in the public interest and assured the doctors that the ministry will address all their concerns to ensure a safer environment.

The delegation led by the DORDA's President Aviral Mathur, presented its reformulated demands and was assured of support by Nadda. 

The doctors' body said that the decision was taken after a meeting with the Health Minister and added that their demands were met. The body that they were assured that the Central Healthcare Protection Act would be passed to curb attacks on medical personnel.

The second day of the strike on Tuesday saw several OPD services in government hospitals of several states across the country disrupted on Tuesday. 

According to a report in NDTV, FORDA said that it will be part of a committee on the Central Healthcare Protection Act, work on which will start within 15 days. 

"He assured us that he would provide a safe working environment for doctors. He has assured us that our demands would be addressed in a time-bound manner. A committee would be formed and we would be a part of it... All our demands have been accepted, hence, FORDA is calling off the strike," FORDA Persident Mathur said.

Meanwhile, the Health Ministry in a post on X said, "Union Health Minister, Shri @JPNadda met with the Federation of Resident Doctors Association (@FordaIndia) delegation today. He welcomed their decision to call off the strike in the public interest and assured them that the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare will address all their concerns to ensure a safer and better work environment."

Union Health Minister, Shri @JPNadda met with the Federation of Resident Doctors Association (@FordaIndia) delegation today.

He welcomed their decision to call off the strike in the public interest and assured them that the Ministry of Health & Family Welfare will address all… pic.twitter.com/RqheiRVF1d

— Ministry of Health (@MoHFW_INDIA) August 13, 2024

The Federation of Resident Doctors' Association (FORDA) had called for a nationwide indefinite strike over the incident. 

Meanwhile, long queues of patients were seen at out-patient departments (OPDs) of all government hospitals since Tuesday morning as senior doctors were substituting their junior counterparts to address the rush. 

In West Bengal, the epicentre of the protest, a widespread agitation by junior doctors crippled state healthcare services, with the functioning of even emergency and outdoor departments coming to a halt in most government hospitals.   

The Calcutta High Court earlier today ordered the transfer of probe into the case from the Kolkata Police to the CBI. While transferring the investigation to the CBI, a division bench presided by Chief Justice T S Sivagnanam also urged agitating doctors to call off their cease-work, maintaining that there is a “pious obligation” on their part to treat patients who come to government hospitals. 

After the high court's direction, the CBI took over the investigation, while a team of the central agency sleuths from Delhi, along with forensic scientists and medical experts, will visit Kolkata on Wednesday, officials said. 

The body of the postgraduate trainee with severe injury marks all over was found inside the seminar hall of the state-run hospital’s chest department on Friday morning. The preliminary autopsy report suggested she was subjected to violent sexual assault. 

Despite the Kolkata Police arresting a civic volunteer named Sanjay Roy in this connection on Saturday, the move failed to silence the clamour of allegations of a botched up investigation and evidence tampering.